WanderingHeart

I’m in CT - Hartford county.

8 minutes ago, Incredibleshrinkiningkiley said:

Thank you! I tried just about everything so I decided to try to eat a strawberry since I haven’t had a carb in almost 2 months and that actually helped a lot. My program is not allowing fruits carbs or veggies yet. No way I’m gonna get fat from 2 small strawberries lol. And my stomach handled it way better than most foods.

I don’t get the no veg/no fruit thing! They’re in my plan, thank goodness!

13 hours ago, DMS242321 said:

Yes prior to surgery all sugar free did that to me my whole life. Then the sugar free pops and sugar free Jello were ok. I always had a bad reaction to splenda. The only sugar free post surgery I can think of doing this is my gum (I quit smoking) so I chew sugar free gum, which must be the problem. So now what lol. I don't want to smoke again, I don't want to stay in the bathroom for hours. I guess I will have to chew on air lol.

Could you try to find gum that is low sugar or sweetened with something like Monk Fruit instead of artificial sugars?
also how much Protein are you getting vs Fiber? When I’m super high protein and super low fiber, I have bathroom probs. I find my sweet spot is 60g protein with some vegs that have fiber.

1 hour ago, TriciaC. said:

Hi there! Thx for answering my post and now I know where I went wrong with trying frozen cauliflower mash alone with salt and pepper. It grossed me out at that time but now I will revisit it and add more seasoning and some type of cream. TY for the insight!

Roasting gives it a nice carmelized flavor!
Also forgot to include butter, margarine or ghee in my directions!

12 hours ago, TriciaC. said:

Hi everyone, I had my surgery April 28, 2021 and I have lost 32 pounds since then. Technically, I had a revision; removal of lap band and conversion to sleeve. I started at 235 but have been as high as 267. I have just started soft food stage and Dr. said this should last 2-3 weeks.

I would appreciate any suggestions for some savory foods to try. So, far, I've found shrimp cocktail (tiny pieces that I chew, chew chew) with small pieces of avocado mixed with cocktail sauce to be the best. I also like cottage cheese with pineapple pieces.

Mashed cauliflower. You could boil or roast then mix with seasonings(I like salt/pepper, garlic, paprika, and cayenne. Fresh herbs if you have them) and something creamy like heavy cream/cream cheese.

use immersion blender or food processor to purée.

you can add unflavored Protein Powder too

15 hours ago, ShoppGirl said:

I hear everyone talking about Bone Broth on here but I’ve been grossed out by the name. What does it taste like?

Honestly, I don’t notice a difference in recipes. Maybe it’s the brand? I’ve made cheeseburger Soup with it, cabbage bacon soup with it, and the pot roast and my family loved it all!

I made a “chicken parm” with almond flour. Cooked up zucchini noodles and tossed with Tomato sauce. Really yummy and fresh!
Also I made a pot roast with parsnip and carrots (no potatoes) and used Bone Broth for extra protein!

1 hour ago, Cherylanne22 said:

Has anyone had an issue with anxiety? I am 6 weeks post op and about a week ago I noticed that I was experiencing anxiety, enough that I don't even want to leave the house! I wanted to know if anyone else has or is experiencing this, there is nothing else going on in my life to warrant this, very puzzling.

Not consistently. There are potentially lots of explanations depending on you.

Certain foods can trigger moods. Or caffeine withdrawal. Medications can have that side effect, especially if your dosing should be changed with your weight loss. Also your hormones are probably wild with the fat burning.

Maybe try journaling and see what comes up. Your body is wise and you may be able to identify the problem yourself!

1 hour ago, mindy81 said:

I'm hoping this posts and does not reply. Has anyone had any issues with the lower part of your abdomen being numb. I'm 7 weeks post opp.

By the incisions? I have not experience that for this surgery but I did for my c-section around the incision. They cut a lot of nerves so I think it’s normal.

@blueslily Such beautiful self care!

I have these pink denim pants that fit again and I've been wearing them. A few of my smaller jeans fit but are less comfortable because they're still snug. But my two largest pairs of jeans got holes in them last week - why oh why do they rip when I've LOST weight?? So its a good motivator to make those smaller jeans fit better so I can be comfortable again!

I named my stomach Shirley. I’m like “quiet down, Shirley!”

12 hours ago, njlimmer said:

I've never heard of this before. Do you know why it changes?

I’m guessing this is referring to less fiber when juicing, which would make your blood sugar spike. But you’re planning on blending,?right?

Keto flu is usually shortly after you start the keto diet, was 3 days into pre-op for me. Is it the actual flu?

Stomach does grumble a lot which used to be hunger but I know that’s a side effect so I wait for a more sustained feeling until I label it hunger. I do get hungry in between meals, usually three hours later. But it’s not as intense as I used to feel.

Are you breastfeeding? It’s really hard to lose while breastfeeding. I had my twins before surgery but I only gained 11 pounds with them and when I had them, my weight went down to the lowest it’s ever been.

But then with breastfeeding, it steadily climbed until I stopped. It’s counterintuitive bc you supposedly expel 300 calories a day breastfeeding but it made me insanely hungry and my body clung to the weight.

I Had a slice of pizza and was fine. Still on track losing weight.

Oh no! @You Are My Sunshine why postponed? I personally believe that when you follow your true path, it elevates the people around you. You will likely find new ways to connect.
also orgasms are better IMO soooo there’s that

I love going out to eat. It’s different now. I was prepared for this and I looked at it as “I have had 35 years to eat so many delicious amazing things. I’ll still get to eat delicious foods again but the surgery gives me the chance to find other things to love in my life - new passions and experiences that I’ve been too preoccupied and overweight to explore.”

I’m nearly 6 weeks out and we have “eaten out” 3 times. Once I got Soup, once I got a pulled pork kids meal, and once a chicken wrap, which I basically ate a few bites of chicken out of the wrap.

My man is totally comfortable with enjoying his food and trusting that I’m eating what I need to eat. If you have co-dependent food enjoyment, that might be difficult. Yesterday he wanted ice cream and I went with him and didn’t have anything. I wasn’t interested after being off sugar for so long. I don’t tell myself “I can’t have xyz” because that will trigger me to want to binge. I tell myself “I’m choosing ..”

I like to throw veggies I have on hand - onions, mushrooms, peppers, zucchini into a pan and sauté with salt/pepper. Add in fresh garlic for 1 min. Add in ground beef or turkey. Then crushed Tomato. It is hearty and healthy. And soft

I’ve had pirq pre-made shakes and they’re not bad.
vanilla, chocolate, caramel coffee flavors

they also include in all flavors: turmeric for inflammation, maca which reduces appetite, and almonds and pea Protein. Not super high in protein compared to whey drinks but low sugar content.

33 minutes ago, KarlaNJ said:

i hit one month on the 12th and i get that tightness that you described and do exactly what you do. I notice maybe when I haven't chewed as many times as i should or maybe too big a bite of food. Honestly, I like the liquids phase. I tried scrambled eggs today and it wasn't great. a few forkfuls and I was done. I'm down 30 pounds from the date of my surgery and while I'm thrilled with my results so far, I'm a tiny bit concerned that my introduction of foods isn't going so great!. One thing I found that I LOVE are the chili lime flavor of Quest Protein chips. 140 calories 20g of Protein in a one ounce bag. It takes 2-3 days to finish the bag but its great grab 2-3 chips. so flavorful.

eggs are tough. I had a few bad experiences but sometimes it seems okay. I put some onions, mushrooms, pepper, zucchini in a pan to cook, then added fresh grated garlic, then crushed Tomato and seasoned everything. It tastes good on its own or with ground meat, but I decided to take the leftovers and bake with eggs on top in a cast Iron pan. I think the sauce combined with the egg made it easier to eat.

I’m a believer that you know what’s best (which is a bit contraindicated by being obese in the first place but I think that tends to come from ignoring your body’s signals). There’s no reason IMO that you can’t stick with liquids for longer.

22 minutes ago, Blueslily said:

For anyone who is 5 or 6 weeks post-op, how many ounces per meal are you eating? I am 5 weeks post-op and I'm eating around 2.5 - 3 ounces per meal sometimes. I think my body may need more as I approach the 6 week mark. Per my program, at 6 weeks we start eating 4 ounces of food and it's all foods, but only healthy ones of course. I still pay attention to when I start having hiccups which I use as my sign to stop eating. I dont want to mess up my still healing tummy or my weight loss progress so I am very conservative in food selection. I'm in Stage 3 of my food plan which is Soft Foods until next Tuesday which will be the 6 week mark.

So, I'm curious about folks who are at the 5 or 6 week mark. How many ounces are you eating for lunch and dinner? How do you know that your pouch wants you to stop?

Thanks!

I'm not measuring or counting calories but at this point, I'm doing a version of whole30 which is just meat/veg/nuts/healthy fats. I struggled to finish one egg from my eggs in purgatory dish (it agrees with me again!) and probably ate 1.5 ounces of sous vide pork chip last night with 6 slices of roasted mushrooms. I eat until fullness, which tends to feel like tightness in my chest. I have not experienced any hiccups, runny nose, or sneezing. Usually, I'll get a "warning" which is a slight chest tightness but it goes away in a few seconds. I'll slow down and wait a few min and have one or two more bites and then I'll feel a sustained tightness and I know I am done.

Also, weighed myself this week and lost 4 pounds since last week, 19 pounds since surgery (~5 weeks), 30 since before pre-op diet (~7 weeks). I felt like it was somewhat slow but the average is about 4 pounds per week, which would land me to nearly 90 pounds weight loss in 6 months if I continue at this rate.

I journaled a lot. I did gratitudes, goals/desires, vision exercises. Also meditation and being outside! Putting my feet on the grass is very soothing

I believe we leak energy when we keep secrets because that act in itself requires energy and attention. However, I did keep mine a secret from many people before the surgery bc I’m susceptible to people pleasing and I wanted to be sure of my decision only for me, regardless of what anyone else says. Timing is important. I finally told my dads side of the family this week when I felt ready to answer questions.
Ultimately, everyone needs to do things in their own time. We all protect our mental health in different ways.

I made a taco salad with the taco flavored ones!
taco meat, cheese, pico de Gallo, avocado, and green leaf lettuce from my garden. So tasty! But they get soggy so you’d prob want to only mix into what you’re going to eat so the leftovers would be chip free until you eat those.