lizonaplane

I am still doing the nutrition classes and jumping through insurance hoops (the classes are a joke!). I have cut out diet soda/carbonation, significantly reduced carbs (not keto, just reduced carbs), counting calories (about 1400 a day), increased exercise, cut sweets dramatically, and I'm trying to eat more slowly and not drink 30 minutes after meals. I'm doing well with everything except eating slowly. I have lost 32 lbs in 4 months and I find I'm less hungry and don't crave sweets now that I'm eating fewer carbs and sweets. I used to be addicted to diet soda but I tried one a month ago and it didn't even taste good. Fruit and vegetables were always something I ate plenty of but now they taste even better! I'm eating more protein and I think that helps me stay more full. I figure any weight I lose now is weight I don't have to lose after surgery. And if I get used to living the lifestyle now, it will be much better than throwing "food funerals"!

I have heard that spring mix is easier to digest than iceberg or romaine. Have you tried that? I'm sorry you have a hard time with veggies! I haven't had surgery yet, but that would be so hard for me, because I live on salads now.

I bought these on my work trip this week after seeing your post, but I wasn't hungry enough to eat it (it's still pretty high in calories). I guess I'll save them for a chocolate craving. If I ever find where I put them in my suitcase!

I'm so sorry your surgery got postponed. I hope you will be able to reschedule when you are well. I found for me that the emphasis was TOO MUCH on food. It was hard in my family. Even my extended family focuses too much on food - if you ask my Uncle how his most recent trip to Italy was he'll say, "it was great, the FOOD!" Which to me seems like the wrong thing to focus on, although when I have traveled all over the world one of the things I've enjoyed is trying all the different candies and junk foods. I want to change that, so I'm focusing more on other things. I want to have more energy for exploring. And truthfully, it's not like the candy is all that tasty or all that different from what we have in the US.

Thank you for sharing! I'm sure you'll get to onederland soon!

I decided I had had enough when after 9 months of quarantine I was so sore and stiff from being sedentary and my asthma was so bad I couldn't use the treadmill I had bought. I had also gained 25lbs during the first 9 months of COVID (I spent a lot of time baking). I haven't had surgery yet but I've already lost more than 32 lbs and my asthma is so much better. Still stiff and sore all the time. I've been jumping through insurance hoops for 4 months and probably 2-3 months before my surgery still.

I weigh 250 and my clothes are 24 and 2x or 3x. I don't understand womens sizes at all.

What about bone broth? There are curry and chipotle and other flavors.

I used to be a foodie, but I've really soured on it lately as I realize how much focusing on food was affecting my ability to enjoy other parts of my life, like travel. I always wanted to try every food when I traveled and I realized that it meant that I was increasingly uncomfortable and tired and unwell. Even though I haven't had surgery yet, I've already realized that I don't want to focus on food that way anymore. I just want food to be fuel. I'm not a picky eater, and I enjoy healthy food, but I don't want to seek out fancy restaurants or have big conversations about food. This is going to be hard because I often travel with my parents and brother and SIL and my mom and brother are foodies, but I can share meals with my mom because she doesn't like to eat too much. I don't drink (I never could stand the taste of alcohol for some reason), so there's no issue with giving up alcohol, but I really don't want my life to revolve around food anymore. My friends who are not foodies seem so much healthier in their relationships with food and seem to be at healthier weights. For me, personally, I think it would be too easy to get sucked into eating too much or unhealthily if I kept being a foodie. To be honest, the pandemic has made me sick to death of cooking, and on my last vacation having to debate where to go every single meal with my mother the foodie was exhausting. I no longer care what I eat as long as it is healthy and serves my goal to be at a healthier weight.

Well, you can't exercise away bad food choices, so make sure you're eating what you're supposed to first off. Exercise is so hard for me, too! I hate it so much, but It's getting easier as I lose weight. There are so many free YouTube videos of lots of different types of exercises available. Yesterday I did a 15 minute dance workout and my muscles are sore in a good way today. It sort of depends on what your disability is, what limitations you have on movement. But you can do isometric (body-weight) exercises (search on YouTube for that) or walking videos like Leslie Sansone. You can even get exercise videos from the library, but I think there's so much on YouTube and that's easy. I hope you find something that works for you!

What about soft cheeses like mashed cauliflower with cheese melted in (I haven't had surgery yet so I'm not sure what's allowed)? Or refried beans, bone broth (If you're not sick of it from the liquid phase)? I have lobster bisque or other soups with protein powder mixed in (I heat the soup and then add in the protein powder mixed with water). I hope you find some things you enjoy!

I think berries like raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, and blackberries might work, because they are relatively low in carbs and high in fiber. You can get them frozen and add them to a protein shake or "light" or plain greek yogurt too. I would also try to eat three times a day and not just twice so you are not going too long without a meal. They also make high-protein chips but I've never tried them. But first I would make sure you are eating a full three meals. Good luck!

Cheese, nuts, deli meat, greek yogurt with or without chia seeds, cucumbers or red bell peppers with tzatziki or just plain, celery with peanut butter or cream cheese and everything but the bagel seasoning, apples and peanut butter... if you tell us what foods you DO like maybe we can give you better suggestions?

maybe you could try a shaker bottle to keep it in and keep shaking it between sips? I have no idea if that would work; it's just a thought...

I'm really going to miss this. I can drink a 20oz bottle of water in one go... I've been trying to practice small sips, but it's so unsatisfying.

I haven't had surgery yet, but I have been doing A LOT of researching about how important exercise is to prevent re-gain. I have traditionally been very down on any exercise except walking because it's so hard for me. I'm down 32 lbs as I prepare for surgery and today I did a 15 minute dance exercise video without stopping! It wasn't pretty, I didn't get all the moves right, but I did the whole thing!

I'm so sorry for your loss. I agree with others who suggested counseling, but if that's not something you want to do, maybe meditation, doing a charity walk for a cause related to their death (If applicable), channeling your grief into making some physical object that reminds you of them, taking up a new exercise program, joining a grief support group, listening to music, journaling... I hope you find something that can help you in your grief.

I have never tried Baritastic; I'm very happy with MFP. I've used it since 2012. Yes, it has lots of ads, but you can enter in recipes easily and it has a huge database of foods, both of which are important to me. For me, the main reason to stick with it is that it has such a long history for me. If I didn't have a history with either, I'd try both and then decide. I think a lot of people like the "goal circle" on Baritastic and like that the feed isn't filled with ads, but I never really look at the feed, so I don't really care about that. I like that I can use MFP on the computer or the phone and it works well on both. Some people have said Baritastic is nicer visually, but I'm not that focused on design.

I like nuts, cheese (cheese sticks are great and portable!), "light" or plain greek yogurt with some chia seeds and fruit (I put splenda in the plain greek yogurt because it's a bit tart for me), deli meat, meat sticks. Most of the protein bars have too many calories for me right now, but I will drink a protein shake. You could also try bone broth (haven't tried that yet, but I bought some for after my surgery). I also add unflavored protein powder to soups or oatmeal.

I think more people are doing telehealth now, so hopefully, as long as they are in your state (due to licensure issues) they will be willing to see you over the internet. I saw someone a few years ago for eating issues virtually, but that's because I was traveling every week. I didn't find it helpful, but I am not sure that was really my problem. Hopefully you will find someone.

You can try using BetterHelp and stating in your intake form that you are specifically looking for someone that specializes in eating disorders. I tried to do that, but I didn't really have much luck because I have a history of other issues that they picked up on. You can always switch therapists with them. I just stuck with the person I was matched with because it worked well enough and it turns out I don't really have an eating disorder, I just eat too much too often and take medications that cause weight gain. Good luck!

I don't know, honestly. I don't drink at all (never liked the taste of alcohol), but I think it's a very reasonable question given that you won't be able to drink much after surgery. Can you ask the nutritionist rather than the surgeon? Also, you can try to find out how long before the test for alcohol you have to stop drinking.

I wish I could have done my nutrition classes once a week instead of once a month - I would have paid more for that! Mine are group classes and they are so unhelpful. They don't focus on bariatric eating at all, just like "did you know french fries are unhealthy?" On the other hand, I've been able to lost 31 lbs since I started working towards the surgery in January, and I'm really starting to get used to the eating habits I'll need long term, so I am telling myself it's worth it. Anyway, surgeries were stopped until April at the center I'm using due to COVID.

What are you eating 5 weeks out? I travel for work sometimes and once I am cleared to lift my suitcase at 4 weeks I might be on the road again at any time, so I'm wondering what I will be eating at that point.

Weight regain is actually more common with sleeve than bypass, but I haven't been able to find exact numbers anywhere. I've seen numbers from 15-30% weight regain for WLS overall, but I don't think most people who regain weight regain all the weight, although I know it does happen.