XtinaDoesIt

18 hours ago, lizonaplane said:

Add 2-3 T chili seasoning (I like Penzey's Chili 9000) and 1tsp or more cumin, plus 1-2 T unsweetened cocoa powder, and 1 tsp cinnamon and stir to coat. 1 T of brown sugar is a nice addition but not necessary

I'm definitely going to try this the next time I make chili. I love mole and never thought to put cocoa powder in my chili. I put brown sugar in my spaghetti sauce but not in my chili either. I'm excited to try this! Thanks!

4 hours ago, blackcatsandbaddecisions said:

5. Not being terrified of running into someone I knew 10+ years ago in public because of how fat I’d gotten.

I might actually go to a friend from college's wedding in June instead of sending my usual gift and excuses.

Rotisserie chicken is the only take-out I trust right now if you have a Peruvian spot by you (other Spanish restaurants will do but Peruvians really know how to rotisserie some chicken!) Plus you can order a family meal if you are feeding others and just eat the chicken for yourself.

Hi @Lorey_a!

I was only on liquids for like a week or two post surgery and then on puree for like 4+ weeks. I ate (and still eat) mostly yogurt, chili, Protein Drinks (so far fairlife is my fav) and salmon. For whatever reason salmon really sits well with me. I also would eat grilled/baked chicken breast and rotisserie chicken when I didn't feel like cooking. Also, I would snack on cheese sticks and sunflower seeds (my nutritionist warned against the seeds though so don't do it!). I didn't actually blend my food, I just chewed it for a long time (my nutritionist said that was OK). That worked well for me. Mostly, I just eat the Protein and have yet to really stomach any sides. I dont have much room for them when Im done with my meat anyway. I really want to be able to eat potatoes but my stomach says NO. I can however have some frozen carrot slices from Trader Joe's without an issue . I'm on soft foods/solids now and experiment a lot more but for the most part, everything I experiment with makes me feel bad so I end up just going back to what I know. I think my body is the best indicator of when Im ready to move on. My worst reaction so far was with popcorn. I had a handful today and literally curled up in bed regretting it!

You are doing great! I LOVE this pic! Thanks for doing it for the newbies (and the educators)!!!

4 hours ago, ShoppGirl said:

Idk about weird but it was surprising when the towel fit around me again without a gap.

YESSSSSSS!!!!!!!!

1 hour ago, chiquitatummy said:

This is compounded by the fact that I'm at the point of weight loss where, with every pre-surgery weight loss attempt, I stopped losing weight, got frustrated and quit dieting, and gained everything back plus some. It's a triggering time for me.

OMG Yes!!!! I am right there with you! This is exactly that point for me and it seem like I'm on my umpteenth stall. I've been here for 2 weeks. I just know of I can just break out of the 230's then this is going to work. But I keep fluctuated from 233-235. Luckily, my body won't let me quit even if I wanted to.

@Soon2bFit21 so do you think cardio is better in the beginning while calorie intake is lower? I'm also contemplating this question. I'm about 10 weeks out. I can only get in about 700 cal on a good day.

@SummerTimeGirl No, I had to find my own psychologist for my clearance and she made it clear that at this time she could only take me on for a prebariatric clearance. I actually called several psychologist when I was looking for the clearance and she was the only one that could take me. I was told that I would have better luck looking for a therapist than a psychologist/psychiatrist.

Ice helps me. I bought one of the tiny ice cube trays and just suck on ice all the time. It keeps away the thirst and ensure I don't drink to fast. Sometimes I put my clear Protein Drink in the ice tray and make Protein ice cubes.

Congrats!

2 hours ago, catwoman7 said:

My dietitian keeps urging me to stop counting calories and try intuitive eating, but I'm not sure I'm there yet.

Yeah this is def the goal. I don't want to obsess about food forever but I would also be scared to let go. I keep saying I'm going to find a therapist but then I get frustrated with how hard it is to find one that takes my insurance and has availability. Then I'm feeling fine again and feel like I don't need one. I have gotten a book or two that's been helpful.

You could make a big expensive purchase like me (#peleton), and feel forced to workout because you are still paying for it

I am in support of affinity forums. Why not?! There are plenty of forums here. I personally saw the girls room and thought that was great! As a poc, I wouldn't mind exchanging thoughts with other people who might have a better understanding of what I am going through. Creating affinity groups does not erase public forums nor do they exclude others. It's just a way to hopefully ensure that the people who post in them care about that specific thing.

I will agree that sometimes, when I learn a person has a particular political view, it can be hard not to see that in everything they say. So this forum may not be the best place to discuss the happenings of the world. But that's not what an affinity group is. The girls group for example, doesn't post about unequal wages and gender discrimination. Although imo, a post about the dismissive nature of doctors towards women (Particularly women of color) and how that affects your journey could be more interesting then the standard "stalling" thread.

EDIT to add: I'd also like to add that unfortunately people in underrepresented and marginalized communities can often be afraid to share their stories. Affinity groups allow a safe space to do that. Im sure everyone feels a little insecure when posting but some people have the added pressure of hoping not to be discriminated against, judged or isolated when engaging with larger groups.

I am in support of affinity forums. Why not?! There are plenty of forums here. I personally saw the girls room and thought that was great! As a poc, I wouldn't mind exchanging thoughts with other people who might have a better understanding of what I am going through. Creating affinity groups does not erase public forums nor do they exclude others. It's just a way to hopefully ensure that the people who post in them care about that specific thing.

I will agree that sometimes, when I learn a person has a particular political view, it can be hard not to see that in everything they say. So this forum may not be the best place to discuss the happenings of the world. But that's not what an affinity group is. The girls group for example, doesn't post about unequal wages and gender discrimination. Although imo, a post about the dismissive nature of doctors towards women (Particularly women of color) and how that affects your journey could be more interesting then the standard "stalling" thread.

This recovery is a total mindfuck! All my ups and downs with food and weight have led me to question if I know what it means to be hungry and/or satiated. I was describing to my boyfriend that some foods make me feel so full after a few bites. It's like it's is piling up in my digestive tract about to overflow. But can I really be full with a few bites or am I just uncomfortable? Lately, half of the time I feel uncomfortably full and the other half, I feel unbarably empty. I'm either too full or have nothing in my belly! What happened to my in between stage? Does that emptiness mean I'm hungry? I also think I'm becoming more scared to eat because I dread the discomfort after. I'm also scared to throw up as a means of relieving the discomfort because I'm scared of developing another eating disorder. This surgery sure is doing a good job of removing the joy of food. I miss feeling a normal hunger and a normal sense of satisfaction from eating.

I'm really surprised that continued psychological visits are not part of the process post-surgery. I have never felt so weight/food obsessed in my entire obese life than I do right now! My relationship with food and my scale are at an all time low. My feelings are so up and down. I'm only 2 months out but I'm really hoping for control and normalcy soon.

This started out as a question but ended up being a rant. I know I'll probably feel better tomorrow. Thanks for reading!

I stopped wearing pants and just wear dresses and tights. I find them great for weight fluctuations.

Hi Miratia. It sucks that you haven't lost any weight yet! I know how frustrating that feeling is when you are doing everything you can and it seems like nothing is working. And as much as I like this forum, sometimes it just sucks seeing how much others are losing. But I've also heard from other people here who didn't lose right away or lost slowly and still met their goals. To help myself remain calm and focused on my many stalls, I picked a date 6 months in the future and told myself I would not beat myself up about weight loss or lack of it until then no matter what. I know that if I stick to the plan I HAVE to be closer to my goal by then. Forget thinking that this is an instant fix because if you don't, your frustration might let you give up. And that would suck more.

On another note, your procedure (ESG) seems really cool. I didn't even know it was a thing. I researched it after I read your post. So you don't have any incisions? I'm curious if there are other veterans of that procedure who could weigh in on the typical weight loss and provide you with some reassurance. I feel like most of the veterans here who are super active had the VSG or bypass. I did scan the ESG forum and it does seem like the weight loss is slightly less than VSG. So make sure you are not comparing yourself to someone who had a different procedure and different stats.

Are you sure it needs to be the same? I think once your approved you are OK. Double check that. But if that is the case I would say... do the full liquid. I lost 12 lbs before surgery on it. I only did full liquid for a week though and partial liquid (protein shakes meal substitutes and meals) the week before. Not that I would encourage cheating but I think cheating a small amount on an otherwise liquid diet is better than none. I cheated a time or two and was fine. Just make sure you are actually liquid for the amount of time you surgeon requires.

I'm only a 2 months out of my surgery but I think my first post here was about being worried that I could eat too! I thought something was wrong. Time sure does fly! I've gone up and down with hunger since... I actually feel like I eat less now but I think it's because I've started eating solid foods. I just make sure to prioritize my Protein first before I decide to eat anything else. And if you feel like you are still hungry, wait a few minutes ( I wait atleast 15) to decide if you want to eat more. Also make sure you are getting your fluids in. I find it hard to eat frequently while still getting in my fluids. When I stick to 3 meals, I'm more successful at getting my fluids. Either way I wouldn't worry about. Like @Creekimp13 said, just keep track of your food to make sure you are not going overboard and are meeting your nutrional goals.

13 minutes ago, Emeka35 said:

Also, my taste buds haven’t changed

PS my tastebuds didn't change either. There was no magical spell that made me crave all the things I should eat vs the things I want to eat. Some people are luckier than others I suppose. However, over time I did start to like some of the things I was introduced to because of my sleeve and because I've been refraining from sugar, I notice it more when I eat something with more than 5g of sugar.

So I actually just brought this eye messager.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07SM61FCT/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glc_fabc_GJ3JH99E3M1BCZ3MJ680

I like it a lot. It helps with headaches and It's pretty relaxing before bed. It messages your temples which can provide relief and the heat feels nice. I only wish I could increase the pressure and heat.

I think my birth control sparked my weight gain as well. I was on the Mirena (hormonal IUD) and although I loved how it stopped my period, I felt like suddenly I wasn't able to lose any weight no matter how hard I tried. Thats really when I started trying all of these extreme dieting and exercising and developing bad habits. I eventually started gaining weight until I took it out but by then I think the damage had already been done. Also, I developed facial hair which still continue to grow after I removed the Mirena. Recently I tried the Paraguard (Copper IUD) which didn't make me gain any weight but I HATED it. My menstrual cramps were soooo bad and I bleed so heavily and often. I haven't tried anything post WLS.

23 hours ago, Tim C said:

3 weeks

I'm 8 weeks out and I'm sure they are prob not ok with it it. But it was my sister's wedding and I decided for myself that I needed some fun to stay sane. I survived and I'm back to my normal doc approved diet. On a side note, I actually kept up with my diet on the trip most of the time. The only time I ate a large amount of food was after the gummies. That's really why I gave that warning. I didn't really drink that much either. My self control has definitely improved and I was able to get right back to my pre vacation habits as soon as I came back.

21 minutes ago, Marie2021 said:

Thanks so much for the feedback. I’m going to hold off for now but ask my doctor. I have a vacation in September and I plan on enjoying myself so hopefully by then I’ll be able to lol

Hi Marie,

I actually just posted about this! I am only 8 weeks out and I had an edible on vacation. It was kind of nuts for me. I felt it intensely. I didn't really like it and I had a small piece. But for reference, I don't really take edibles often. I ate a lot and slept a lot on them. I feel like if I took them often it would definitely slow my progress.