Butterflyeffect

I don't post too much on here anymore because I'm 2 years and 3 months post of from bypass. Life has pretty much normalized and I've reached my goal weight. I would like to get down to maybe 195 lbs but I'm not sweating it too much because I feel the best I've ever been since starting this whole process. I am six feet tall and sit around 198/199 at the moment. I started this journey at around 340 lbs. I lost 30 lbs before my surgery. I have lots of loose skin on my belly, my thighs, and my arms. Unfortunately, I can't afford skin removal but I'm saving to do my arms next summer.
After a while, sometimes you have days where you no longer connect to your old obese self. I have days where I feel huge and ugly still. It's easy to forget where you came from or how far you've come. What helps me is now and then I check my old photos and make comparisons so I can see my progress. The body dysmorphia is so real and something I know most of you if not all can and will relate to.
Losing the weight did not fix my body image but it's different for everyone. Some things IT DID improve however:
-Improve my joint health (daily knee pain gone).
-Took up running. Avid runner now. Have done races and run regularly outside.
-Lowered my blood pressure.
-Lowered my heart rate.
-No longer profusely sweat or turn red from basic activities.
-No longer use alcohol and food to cope with anxiety.
-So much energy to move and do chores/tasks.
-Healed my obsession with food.

I love seeing everyone's progress and reading your stories. Getting the surgery is not a fix-all. We have to do the work to eat the right foods in the right portions and get exercise regularly. It's easier the first year but I can tell you it gets harder and harder. Every day is a battle when you're trying to escape obesity. That's not a bad thing. It's rewarding and you learn so much and become a more resilient and deep person. So keep remembering why you did this, where you came from, and how much better life is getting for you!

Love that checked overcoat @GreenTealael & the sweater dress gorgeous.
As a seasonal contrast. My Christmas Day outfit. Comfortable & cool. Note the matching slides which I had from last summer & I even had a matching cross body bag from years ago. My 8yr old niece told me she didn’t like my outfit because it wasn’t Christmassy enough. Lol!

All white sweater dress (flanked by my children)

Hello I had my vsg 11/13/23 and I need to learn simple recepies

some food porn for your viewing pleasure!
i always always take pics of my food but haven't been posting much of them as i used to.
here is a sample of what i've been eating the past couple weeks!
        

drinks with my cousin & friends again yesterday afternoon. (Sipped a small glass of wine for about 4 hours 😁.) Made a cherry Tomato, burrata, pesto & prosciutto tart with basil leaves. I love these simple tarts I’ve been making lately. Sheet of puff pastry & a few ingredients & voila … a savour tart for drinks. Get 16 pieces from it. Baked it in my non fully functioning oven but it worked. Yay! I ate two pieces.

Had a presentation lunch today at the family business. Wore navy extra wide leg trousers (bought early this year 70% off - bargain) & surprise … a patterned blouse. I like the style of the top & worn it before but I never feel totally comfortable in it. Just a little pattern averse!
Check out my fluffy Pom Pom slippers on the background - super stylish 😁😁

Pic on the left was Ford ST SUV Experience 2020, Right was Ford ST SUV Experience 2023.

Exactly 3 years to the day.
Surgery was Jan 2021.
Still not at "my" goal, but getting there slowly. Need to buckle down a bit. Funniest part about these pics is that you can see my belt!

At high school I’d eat dry nutrigrain in a cup late at night while doing assignments. Do you have Nutrigrain or is it just an Australian cereal? It was promoted as Ironman food by our champion surf lifesavers. Crunchy with a sweet slightly sticky when dry outer. Mmmm. Now I want nutrigrain. Lol!

k, im pretty proud of this one...my first ever attempt at paella, and it turned out really good!
1st pic collage are the different cooked components: the main rice part (aborio rice, shrimps, chorizo, onions, tomatoes and seasonings) + mussels in lemon white wine sauce + grilled whole shrimp.
the second pic is of our table spread of the finished/assembled paella plus some mexican street corn i made with and without cojita cheese (cuz one of my guests doesn't like cheese 🤷🏻‍♀️) and some extra grilled shrimp that didn't fit in the pan. looks like there was too much seafood on the paella cuz u cant even see the rice...or maybe i just need a bigger pan lol.
anyway, in my excitement i didn't take a pic of my serving before it was all gone, but i ate about 1/2 cup worth of the rice, 4 mussles and one grilled shrimp. also had a martini and 1/2 a lemon square. altogether, i estimate tonights intake at 859 calories .
im ready for bed! but i need to digest first....

Red handkerchief dress that was a gift ❤️

Friend’s daughter’s wedding on the weekend. It was a formal wedding. And yes I did wear two gloves. 😁 Wore the second dress for the Sunday lunch event. More low key & fewer people. Excellent wrap dress: no gaping neckline. And my hair actually stood up for both events - just softer. Whoo hoo!!

Hi All! So a little over two years, and it's mostly all good news! I've run like 6 5k races now, but I hurt my knew in April and haven't run for 2 months. Started running again this week, but it's amazing how hard it is to get back into that mindset. I'm 10lbs up from my goal weight that I had hit and maintained for a year so that's a little frustrating. I know I need to get back to basics, but that sugar craving is ROUGH! I also find that I'm mindlessly eating so that is part of what I need to nip in the bud before 10 becomes 20 and so on. It's so weird though... before I wouldn't have even noticed gaining 10lbs. Now I can FEEL it. Hope everyone else is doing well!

Stir fried beef over steamed rice. I first fried it in the air fryer than glazed it in a pan with soy sauce, vinegar, onions and green Beans. My dish is layered: rice, onions/green beans and then steak on the top since I started with Protein first. The nutritional info is what I ate (not how much I made). 

Teriyaki Salmon, mashed potatoes and broccoli.
First time in a week or two that I actually cooked. Where is the kitchen of the future where food prepares itself. 😩

Down about 83 pounds. My weight loss plateaued in year 2 despite exercise but I still lost inches. My tolerance for sugar has increased higher than I'd like but definitely not near pre surgery levels. I love that I don't experience the feeling of hunger and my portions are small but enough so I can look "normal" in social food situations. I need to find a new workout & tighten up my discipline again to get back on track to lose more.

eight months pre-op vs eight months post-op rny! i’m so proud of my progress and i’m more confident now than i’ve ever been in my life! i’m traveling around peru right now and i’ve been able to hike and climb stairs and fit in the airplane seats - none of which i could do before! :)

HW 410
SW 355
CW 235
GW whatever i end up at healthily :)

I lost 110 lbs, but have put back 10 due to careless binge eating of sliders. I am re-addicted to sugar and it's making me slowly put weight back on. I need to get myself back under control and include more Protein.
In more positive news, I am a runner now and have a 10K coming up. I'm so excited!!

Rummaged through the fridge to put together something. (We aren’t cooking tonight!)
Cut up some chicken breast, baby cucumbers, and avacodo on a lettuce boat. Only ate one. Eyes were bigger lol
Pic isn’t a really good pic as the tacos wouldn’t stand up on their own.

more salad for lunch.
they all look the same, don't they?? 😂
good thing i love salad.
343 calories for lettuce, chicken, figs and greek dressing:

Congratulations, that’s an amazing effort!!

Down 6 more pounds. Officially at 164.

That’s amazing, well done! Would you mind sharing your tips/plan? Thanks

Down to 170 today. So 6 more pounds to go

That’s so funny @Starwarsandcupcakes. Bed pads. 😂 We’ve always called them Chux as that as the original brand of the kitchen cloth. These were a cheap roll of an unknown brand from Kmart. Do the same job of course.
Had the labneh with baby Roma tomatoes & basil fur lunch yesterday. Very yummy. The sprinkles on my board is my exuberant grinding of sea salt & pepper.