LizzLosingIt

I’m on my last week of birth control since I have to get off of it for one month prior and one month after... not starting a new pack even though the days don’t align perfectly.
mom only required to do a two-week diet, so I’m using these weeks prior to that time to have my “final meals” with stuff I’ve already purchased so it won’t go to waste. Enjoying my last bits of fruit juices, ice creams, rice (which is HUGE in my culture). Stopped buying snack foods since I won’t finish them all. Stopped buying new clothes back in April when I started the process. I’m nervous for July 4th weekend since my surgery is on the 9th. I want to be able to enjoy myself and food just feels like such a big factor in doing so. My family and friends are extremely supportive and said they’d help find foods I can still enjoy that fit my low fat diet but still sort of nervous of inconveniencing people.

Hey July surgery buddies! Just got my insurance approval this morning and am scheduled for July 9th. Excited!

Hey July surgery buddies! Just got my insurance approval this morning and am scheduled for July 9th. Excited!

When I was in 8th grade I had to start thinking about what high school classes I wanted to take. I was in band in middle school and the next logical step was marching band for high school. I was so nervous: could I actually memorize 18 minutes of music AND march around a field?? As a plus sized teen??? All while keeping up with my Advanced Placement classes? A thought came to me and it’s changed my life ever since: If 200+ other students (we had a large band) could do it, then why the hell couldn’t I too do it?? I’m smart, I’m capable, I can at least try. By senior year I was the band’s captain. That thinking has gotten me through my Masters degree and a great salaried job, because I realized “hell, I could do it too!”

listen, your fears are 100% valid. Most, if not all of us, have experienced the yo-yo dieting, the inability to stick to diets, the failing and trying and failing again. It’s not specific to you! and others’ success is not specific to THEM. I just got my surgery approved this morning and I’m nervous too, because it’s going to be HARD.

But I had to pick my hard. The diet is hard, surgery feels drastic and hard. Exercising SUCKS and is hard. The mourning period is super hard (going through it now, see my previous posts lol).

But you know what else is hard? Navigating life as a fat woman in America. Dating with confidence. Fitting into a booth. Dealing with medical anti-fat bias. Being compared to thinner friends colleagues or relatives. SHOPPING ugh. I have to pick what type of “hard” makes it all worth it. I could stay fat and that hard life won’t get easier. Or I could do this life-changing surgery and feel that “hard” get easier and easier as time goes on.

My stomach is quite large and my face looks fine and wrinkle free now but I’m also terrified of wrinkles and loose skin (I’m 34 and though I’m young to many, I’m not immune to aging especially now.) But it’s either deal with the skin or the fat for me. I choose skin.

best of luck to you!! Have courage. Don’t doom-scroll, looking for negative experiences (trust me, I’m a doom scroller and it delayed me for a few years, 50 lbs ago.) Instead read through all the great success stories on this forum. It’s what’s gotten me through! My surgery is July 9th.

I am still pre-op, waiting on final approval from insurance, and getting very anxious. Mournful even, of the life I live now, and the foods I enjoy that I won’t enjoy again.
but this thread helps. I’m generally healthy, no issues with BP, cholesterol, GERD, heart or cardiac, only issues areI’m creeping ever closer to diabetes. I want that off the table. And I have sleep apnea. Super low pressure (7 on a scale of 5-30) and can easily be reversed with just 50-75 lbs lost. I’m 34 and want children one day. I want to hike and ride bikes and run and sit comfortably on the floor, play with my nieces and not be exhausted after ONE round of hide and seek, rid myself of back pain, fit into regular sized clothes, wear heels without wanting to cry.
Men reach out very very often on dating apps and I always “self reject” because something in my mind says “he must be joking” or “your body is just a fetish to him.” Maybe I’m way off base with that one but it’s how I feel and I want to be romantically involved with someone again.
I want to sit comfortably in airplanes and not see the “oh God I hope the fat girl doesn’t sit by me” face I often see. Don’t want to hear the “wow you have such a pretty face” comment, knowing what they really mean. (I hope I don’t sound self centered, just highlighting that it’s hard to appreciate things that others seemingly appreciate about me because of my deep insecurity.)
Just so many things. As nervous and sad as I am to have to get to this point to lose weight, I’m still looking forward to all of the above. 🌸

When I was in 8th grade I had to start thinking about what high school classes I wanted to take. I was in band in middle school and the next logical step was marching band for high school. I was so nervous: could I actually memorize 18 minutes of music AND march around a field?? As a plus sized teen??? All while keeping up with my Advanced Placement classes? A thought came to me and it’s changed my life ever since: If 200+ other students (we had a large band) could do it, then why the hell couldn’t I too do it?? I’m smart, I’m capable, I can at least try. By senior year I was the band’s captain. That thinking has gotten me through my Masters degree and a great salaried job, because I realized “hell, I could do it too!”

listen, your fears are 100% valid. Most, if not all of us, have experienced the yo-yo dieting, the inability to stick to diets, the failing and trying and failing again. It’s not specific to you! and others’ success is not specific to THEM. I just got my surgery approved this morning and I’m nervous too, because it’s going to be HARD.

But I had to pick my hard. The diet is hard, surgery feels drastic and hard. Exercising SUCKS and is hard. The mourning period is super hard (going through it now, see my previous posts lol).

But you know what else is hard? Navigating life as a fat woman in America. Dating with confidence. Fitting into a booth. Dealing with medical anti-fat bias. Being compared to thinner friends colleagues or relatives. SHOPPING ugh. I have to pick what type of “hard” makes it all worth it. I could stay fat and that hard life won’t get easier. Or I could do this life-changing surgery and feel that “hard” get easier and easier as time goes on.

My stomach is quite large and my face looks fine and wrinkle free now but I’m also terrified of wrinkles and loose skin (I’m 34 and though I’m young to many, I’m not immune to aging especially now.) But it’s either deal with the skin or the fat for me. I choose skin.

best of luck to you!! Have courage. Don’t doom-scroll, looking for negative experiences (trust me, I’m a doom scroller and it delayed me for a few years, 50 lbs ago.) Instead read through all the great success stories on this forum. It’s what’s gotten me through! My surgery is July 9th.

Hey July surgery buddies! Just got my insurance approval this morning and am scheduled for July 9th. Excited!

When I was in 8th grade I had to start thinking about what high school classes I wanted to take. I was in band in middle school and the next logical step was marching band for high school. I was so nervous: could I actually memorize 18 minutes of music AND march around a field?? As a plus sized teen??? All while keeping up with my Advanced Placement classes? A thought came to me and it’s changed my life ever since: If 200+ other students (we had a large band) could do it, then why the hell couldn’t I too do it?? I’m smart, I’m capable, I can at least try. By senior year I was the band’s captain. That thinking has gotten me through my Masters degree and a great salaried job, because I realized “hell, I could do it too!”

listen, your fears are 100% valid. Most, if not all of us, have experienced the yo-yo dieting, the inability to stick to diets, the failing and trying and failing again. It’s not specific to you! and others’ success is not specific to THEM. I just got my surgery approved this morning and I’m nervous too, because it’s going to be HARD.

But I had to pick my hard. The diet is hard, surgery feels drastic and hard. Exercising SUCKS and is hard. The mourning period is super hard (going through it now, see my previous posts lol).

But you know what else is hard? Navigating life as a fat woman in America. Dating with confidence. Fitting into a booth. Dealing with medical anti-fat bias. Being compared to thinner friends colleagues or relatives. SHOPPING ugh. I have to pick what type of “hard” makes it all worth it. I could stay fat and that hard life won’t get easier. Or I could do this life-changing surgery and feel that “hard” get easier and easier as time goes on.

My stomach is quite large and my face looks fine and wrinkle free now but I’m also terrified of wrinkles and loose skin (I’m 34 and though I’m young to many, I’m not immune to aging especially now.) But it’s either deal with the skin or the fat for me. I choose skin.

best of luck to you!! Have courage. Don’t doom-scroll, looking for negative experiences (trust me, I’m a doom scroller and it delayed me for a few years, 50 lbs ago.) Instead read through all the great success stories on this forum. It’s what’s gotten me through! My surgery is July 9th.

When I was in 8th grade I had to start thinking about what high school classes I wanted to take. I was in band in middle school and the next logical step was marching band for high school. I was so nervous: could I actually memorize 18 minutes of music AND march around a field?? As a plus sized teen??? All while keeping up with my Advanced Placement classes? A thought came to me and it’s changed my life ever since: If 200+ other students (we had a large band) could do it, then why the hell couldn’t I too do it?? I’m smart, I’m capable, I can at least try. By senior year I was the band’s captain. That thinking has gotten me through my Masters degree and a great salaried job, because I realized “hell, I could do it too!”

listen, your fears are 100% valid. Most, if not all of us, have experienced the yo-yo dieting, the inability to stick to diets, the failing and trying and failing again. It’s not specific to you! and others’ success is not specific to THEM. I just got my surgery approved this morning and I’m nervous too, because it’s going to be HARD.

But I had to pick my hard. The diet is hard, surgery feels drastic and hard. Exercising SUCKS and is hard. The mourning period is super hard (going through it now, see my previous posts lol).

But you know what else is hard? Navigating life as a fat woman in America. Dating with confidence. Fitting into a booth. Dealing with medical anti-fat bias. Being compared to thinner friends colleagues or relatives. SHOPPING ugh. I have to pick what type of “hard” makes it all worth it. I could stay fat and that hard life won’t get easier. Or I could do this life-changing surgery and feel that “hard” get easier and easier as time goes on.

My stomach is quite large and my face looks fine and wrinkle free now but I’m also terrified of wrinkles and loose skin (I’m 34 and though I’m young to many, I’m not immune to aging especially now.) But it’s either deal with the skin or the fat for me. I choose skin.

best of luck to you!! Have courage. Don’t doom-scroll, looking for negative experiences (trust me, I’m a doom scroller and it delayed me for a few years, 50 lbs ago.) Instead read through all the great success stories on this forum. It’s what’s gotten me through! My surgery is July 9th.

When I was in 8th grade I had to start thinking about what high school classes I wanted to take. I was in band in middle school and the next logical step was marching band for high school. I was so nervous: could I actually memorize 18 minutes of music AND march around a field?? As a plus sized teen??? All while keeping up with my Advanced Placement classes? A thought came to me and it’s changed my life ever since: If 200+ other students (we had a large band) could do it, then why the hell couldn’t I too do it?? I’m smart, I’m capable, I can at least try. By senior year I was the band’s captain. That thinking has gotten me through my Masters degree and a great salaried job, because I realized “hell, I could do it too!”

listen, your fears are 100% valid. Most, if not all of us, have experienced the yo-yo dieting, the inability to stick to diets, the failing and trying and failing again. It’s not specific to you! and others’ success is not specific to THEM. I just got my surgery approved this morning and I’m nervous too, because it’s going to be HARD.

But I had to pick my hard. The diet is hard, surgery feels drastic and hard. Exercising SUCKS and is hard. The mourning period is super hard (going through it now, see my previous posts lol).

But you know what else is hard? Navigating life as a fat woman in America. Dating with confidence. Fitting into a booth. Dealing with medical anti-fat bias. Being compared to thinner friends colleagues or relatives. SHOPPING ugh. I have to pick what type of “hard” makes it all worth it. I could stay fat and that hard life won’t get easier. Or I could do this life-changing surgery and feel that “hard” get easier and easier as time goes on.

My stomach is quite large and my face looks fine and wrinkle free now but I’m also terrified of wrinkles and loose skin (I’m 34 and though I’m young to many, I’m not immune to aging especially now.) But it’s either deal with the skin or the fat for me. I choose skin.

best of luck to you!! Have courage. Don’t doom-scroll, looking for negative experiences (trust me, I’m a doom scroller and it delayed me for a few years, 50 lbs ago.) Instead read through all the great success stories on this forum. It’s what’s gotten me through! My surgery is July 9th.

When I was in 8th grade I had to start thinking about what high school classes I wanted to take. I was in band in middle school and the next logical step was marching band for high school. I was so nervous: could I actually memorize 18 minutes of music AND march around a field?? As a plus sized teen??? All while keeping up with my Advanced Placement classes? A thought came to me and it’s changed my life ever since: If 200+ other students (we had a large band) could do it, then why the hell couldn’t I too do it?? I’m smart, I’m capable, I can at least try. By senior year I was the band’s captain. That thinking has gotten me through my Masters degree and a great salaried job, because I realized “hell, I could do it too!”

listen, your fears are 100% valid. Most, if not all of us, have experienced the yo-yo dieting, the inability to stick to diets, the failing and trying and failing again. It’s not specific to you! and others’ success is not specific to THEM. I just got my surgery approved this morning and I’m nervous too, because it’s going to be HARD.

But I had to pick my hard. The diet is hard, surgery feels drastic and hard. Exercising SUCKS and is hard. The mourning period is super hard (going through it now, see my previous posts lol).

But you know what else is hard? Navigating life as a fat woman in America. Dating with confidence. Fitting into a booth. Dealing with medical anti-fat bias. Being compared to thinner friends colleagues or relatives. SHOPPING ugh. I have to pick what type of “hard” makes it all worth it. I could stay fat and that hard life won’t get easier. Or I could do this life-changing surgery and feel that “hard” get easier and easier as time goes on.

My stomach is quite large and my face looks fine and wrinkle free now but I’m also terrified of wrinkles and loose skin (I’m 34 and though I’m young to many, I’m not immune to aging especially now.) But it’s either deal with the skin or the fat for me. I choose skin.

best of luck to you!! Have courage. Don’t doom-scroll, looking for negative experiences (trust me, I’m a doom scroller and it delayed me for a few years, 50 lbs ago.) Instead read through all the great success stories on this forum. It’s what’s gotten me through! My surgery is July 9th.

When I was in 8th grade I had to start thinking about what high school classes I wanted to take. I was in band in middle school and the next logical step was marching band for high school. I was so nervous: could I actually memorize 18 minutes of music AND march around a field?? As a plus sized teen??? All while keeping up with my Advanced Placement classes? A thought came to me and it’s changed my life ever since: If 200+ other students (we had a large band) could do it, then why the hell couldn’t I too do it?? I’m smart, I’m capable, I can at least try. By senior year I was the band’s captain. That thinking has gotten me through my Masters degree and a great salaried job, because I realized “hell, I could do it too!”

listen, your fears are 100% valid. Most, if not all of us, have experienced the yo-yo dieting, the inability to stick to diets, the failing and trying and failing again. It’s not specific to you! and others’ success is not specific to THEM. I just got my surgery approved this morning and I’m nervous too, because it’s going to be HARD.

But I had to pick my hard. The diet is hard, surgery feels drastic and hard. Exercising SUCKS and is hard. The mourning period is super hard (going through it now, see my previous posts lol).

But you know what else is hard? Navigating life as a fat woman in America. Dating with confidence. Fitting into a booth. Dealing with medical anti-fat bias. Being compared to thinner friends colleagues or relatives. SHOPPING ugh. I have to pick what type of “hard” makes it all worth it. I could stay fat and that hard life won’t get easier. Or I could do this life-changing surgery and feel that “hard” get easier and easier as time goes on.

My stomach is quite large and my face looks fine and wrinkle free now but I’m also terrified of wrinkles and loose skin (I’m 34 and though I’m young to many, I’m not immune to aging especially now.) But it’s either deal with the skin or the fat for me. I choose skin.

best of luck to you!! Have courage. Don’t doom-scroll, looking for negative experiences (trust me, I’m a doom scroller and it delayed me for a few years, 50 lbs ago.) Instead read through all the great success stories on this forum. It’s what’s gotten me through! My surgery is July 9th.

When I was in 8th grade I had to start thinking about what high school classes I wanted to take. I was in band in middle school and the next logical step was marching band for high school. I was so nervous: could I actually memorize 18 minutes of music AND march around a field?? As a plus sized teen??? All while keeping up with my Advanced Placement classes? A thought came to me and it’s changed my life ever since: If 200+ other students (we had a large band) could do it, then why the hell couldn’t I too do it?? I’m smart, I’m capable, I can at least try. By senior year I was the band’s captain. That thinking has gotten me through my Masters degree and a great salaried job, because I realized “hell, I could do it too!”

listen, your fears are 100% valid. Most, if not all of us, have experienced the yo-yo dieting, the inability to stick to diets, the failing and trying and failing again. It’s not specific to you! and others’ success is not specific to THEM. I just got my surgery approved this morning and I’m nervous too, because it’s going to be HARD.

But I had to pick my hard. The diet is hard, surgery feels drastic and hard. Exercising SUCKS and is hard. The mourning period is super hard (going through it now, see my previous posts lol).

But you know what else is hard? Navigating life as a fat woman in America. Dating with confidence. Fitting into a booth. Dealing with medical anti-fat bias. Being compared to thinner friends colleagues or relatives. SHOPPING ugh. I have to pick what type of “hard” makes it all worth it. I could stay fat and that hard life won’t get easier. Or I could do this life-changing surgery and feel that “hard” get easier and easier as time goes on.

My stomach is quite large and my face looks fine and wrinkle free now but I’m also terrified of wrinkles and loose skin (I’m 34 and though I’m young to many, I’m not immune to aging especially now.) But it’s either deal with the skin or the fat for me. I choose skin.

best of luck to you!! Have courage. Don’t doom-scroll, looking for negative experiences (trust me, I’m a doom scroller and it delayed me for a few years, 50 lbs ago.) Instead read through all the great success stories on this forum. It’s what’s gotten me through! My surgery is July 9th.

When I was in 8th grade I had to start thinking about what high school classes I wanted to take. I was in band in middle school and the next logical step was marching band for high school. I was so nervous: could I actually memorize 18 minutes of music AND march around a field?? As a plus sized teen??? All while keeping up with my Advanced Placement classes? A thought came to me and it’s changed my life ever since: If 200+ other students (we had a large band) could do it, then why the hell couldn’t I too do it?? I’m smart, I’m capable, I can at least try. By senior year I was the band’s captain. That thinking has gotten me through my Masters degree and a great salaried job, because I realized “hell, I could do it too!”

listen, your fears are 100% valid. Most, if not all of us, have experienced the yo-yo dieting, the inability to stick to diets, the failing and trying and failing again. It’s not specific to you! and others’ success is not specific to THEM. I just got my surgery approved this morning and I’m nervous too, because it’s going to be HARD.

But I had to pick my hard. The diet is hard, surgery feels drastic and hard. Exercising SUCKS and is hard. The mourning period is super hard (going through it now, see my previous posts lol).

But you know what else is hard? Navigating life as a fat woman in America. Dating with confidence. Fitting into a booth. Dealing with medical anti-fat bias. Being compared to thinner friends colleagues or relatives. SHOPPING ugh. I have to pick what type of “hard” makes it all worth it. I could stay fat and that hard life won’t get easier. Or I could do this life-changing surgery and feel that “hard” get easier and easier as time goes on.

My stomach is quite large and my face looks fine and wrinkle free now but I’m also terrified of wrinkles and loose skin (I’m 34 and though I’m young to many, I’m not immune to aging especially now.) But it’s either deal with the skin or the fat for me. I choose skin.

best of luck to you!! Have courage. Don’t doom-scroll, looking for negative experiences (trust me, I’m a doom scroller and it delayed me for a few years, 50 lbs ago.) Instead read through all the great success stories on this forum. It’s what’s gotten me through! My surgery is July 9th.

Had my nutritionist appointment Wednesday. I feel prepared in that I know what I can and can’t eat...am getting my file looked at by a nurse and hopefully submitted to my insurance next week. My case manager seems confident I’ll have a surgery date within July.
but I’m starting to mourn the life I live now.
I know I want to lose the weight and keep it off... but I’m going to miss a nice glass of champagne or cocktail with carbonation. A warm bowl of Pasta. Full fat milk. The sense of freedom to eat when and what I want (which I suppose can also be a prison...)
anyway I’m getting emotional, knowing my life will never be the same. There’s good with it, but definitely a sense of loss and mourning is coming across as well. I spoke with the psychiatrist in my bariatric clinic and she cleared me for surgery, but I feel like I may need to go see her again once or twice before surgery for my own peace of mind and a listening ear.

I don’t know if I just need advice or a listening ear or insight from experience or what. whatever you offer I’ll gladly take.

Reading this just 25 minutes after your update! I just submitted everything to my insurance today, and I’m going with bypass. This forum actually what was convinced me, last year, to do bypass.

1. too many stories of revision surgeries after sleeve since your body still absorbs the same amounts of food, unlike bypass. I know it’s not everyone, but I saw too many to make me feel confident in my ability to comply long term without a second layer of help (malabsorption.)

2. Diabetes runs rampant in my family. I’m not there yet but it’s an eventuality I wanted to do away with.

3. Someone above mentioned that bypass is so drastic... and sure, it is, but it doesn’t make sleeve less drastic in comparison. With sleeve, your stomach is essentially amputated, and with bypass your intestines are rearranged. They’re both hard, I just had to pick the “hard” I felt was worth all the trouble. Bypass was it for me.

I spoke with my nutritionist today about duodenal switch, and though you lose more weight, you have more Vitamin deficiencies and it’s harder to carry a pregnancy, which I eventually want to do. I’m glad you made the right choice for you!

I am still pre-op, waiting on final approval from insurance, and getting very anxious. Mournful even, of the life I live now, and the foods I enjoy that I won’t enjoy again.
but this thread helps. I’m generally healthy, no issues with BP, cholesterol, GERD, heart or cardiac, only issues areI’m creeping ever closer to diabetes. I want that off the table. And I have sleep apnea. Super low pressure (7 on a scale of 5-30) and can easily be reversed with just 50-75 lbs lost. I’m 34 and want children one day. I want to hike and ride bikes and run and sit comfortably on the floor, play with my nieces and not be exhausted after ONE round of hide and seek, rid myself of back pain, fit into regular sized clothes, wear heels without wanting to cry.
Men reach out very very often on dating apps and I always “self reject” because something in my mind says “he must be joking” or “your body is just a fetish to him.” Maybe I’m way off base with that one but it’s how I feel and I want to be romantically involved with someone again.
I want to sit comfortably in airplanes and not see the “oh God I hope the fat girl doesn’t sit by me” face I often see. Don’t want to hear the “wow you have such a pretty face” comment, knowing what they really mean. (I hope I don’t sound self centered, just highlighting that it’s hard to appreciate things that others seemingly appreciate about me because of my deep insecurity.)
Just so many things. As nervous and sad as I am to have to get to this point to lose weight, I’m still looking forward to all of the above. 🌸

Had my nutritionist appointment Wednesday. I feel prepared in that I know what I can and can’t eat...am getting my file looked at by a nurse and hopefully submitted to my insurance next week. My case manager seems confident I’ll have a surgery date within July.
but I’m starting to mourn the life I live now.
I know I want to lose the weight and keep it off... but I’m going to miss a nice glass of champagne or cocktail with carbonation. A warm bowl of Pasta. Full fat milk. The sense of freedom to eat when and what I want (which I suppose can also be a prison...)
anyway I’m getting emotional, knowing my life will never be the same. There’s good with it, but definitely a sense of loss and mourning is coming across as well. I spoke with the psychiatrist in my bariatric clinic and she cleared me for surgery, but I feel like I may need to go see her again once or twice before surgery for my own peace of mind and a listening ear.

I don’t know if I just need advice or a listening ear or insight from experience or what. whatever you offer I’ll gladly take.

Pre-op here. Just saw my nutritionist today. My surgeon has insisted on no carbonated drinks EVER, for life. There goes champagne. And White Claws. I asked why, and he said that consistent intake will expand your pouch. So I’m thinking I’m limited to like a champagne toast at the rare wedding and nothing else.
my nutritionist told me however that alcohol is not off limits once in stage four of eating, just drink it slowly and try it at home. Get a Designated Driver if you’re out. Try to get something low in sugar to avoid dumping, like a shot diluted in ice with a lemon twist, or the old classic, a vodka cranberry.

Pre-op here. Just saw my nutritionist today. My surgeon has insisted on no carbonated drinks EVER, for life. There goes champagne. And White Claws. I asked why, and he said that consistent intake will expand your pouch. So I’m thinking I’m limited to like a champagne toast at the rare wedding and nothing else.
my nutritionist told me however that alcohol is not off limits once in stage four of eating, just drink it slowly and try it at home. Get a Designated Driver if you’re out. Try to get something low in sugar to avoid dumping, like a shot diluted in ice with a lemon twist, or the old classic, a vodka cranberry.

It’s such an individual thing, the mental side of it, it’s pretty hard to say what you need to do to “be ready.” I went from not even thinking about surgery, to one night the wife asked me if I would consider it.. after a frantic google session I called a doctor in Mexico the next day and had my appointment set for two weeks later. Had my surgery and haven’t had any issues at all, physically or mentally. A big plus in my favor is I don’t think I’m an emotional eater. I can’t think of a time in my life where something went wrong and I thought “oh I need ice cream.” I just had zero Portion Control. I would tell my doctor “I don’t eat much” and it felt like I didn’t… the real truth was didn’t eat OFTEN but holy hell could I fill up with a lot of food… so for me this has been ridiculously easy… I still don’t eat often but I can only take in maybe 8% of what I used to (I use hotdog counts to make this estimate (one vs a dozen in a sitting (yeah a dozen…. (I like nested parentheticals)))). I had one day of panic where I tried to scare myself with phrases like “change forever” and “body mutilation” but countered it with “busted up knees” and “broken patio furniture” and just sort of closed my eyes and went for it. As many others say, “I wish I did this years ago.” It has been life changing since surgery almost 11 months ago, life changing in every positive way imaginable. Being self aware of why you’re where you’re at is critical, so my advice and experience may actually be harmful to your success. I would say if you feel like you eat emotionally, make sure you keep seeing a therapist post surgery to keep yourself in check and make sure you don’t transfer that behavior from food to something else even worse. But again, it’s self awareness that will tell you if this is needed, not me. Just know that you’re not chiseled from stone, what you were yesterday does not have to be what you will be tomorrow. It may not be easy but it’s doable. Stay on top of your feelings and thoughts and adapt to the situation as best as possible and know that we’re all here to help when we can. Oh and I can eat rice. Love it. Just much much less.

I haven't had surgery yet, but I got invisalign about a month ago. Usually i'd down like 4-6 chocolate truffles right before bed, but now with invisalign, it'd mean needing to take the braces off, brush my mouth and the trays, and do that whole process that I usually have done well before bedtime already. The other day I went to get a taste of the chocolate and it was WAY TOO SWEET! SO crazy how our tastebuds and tolerances change just naturally.

This is true and important to keep in mind. I do have one though, and it's cool to see other victories outside of weight. Mine tells me my "body's age" on the accompanying app, and it's neat to see hydration levels and those other figures improve over time. It's also helpful because the app lets you track your weight and you can compare dates to see how your body has changed. It being just like $10-15 more than a standard scale made me just purchase it and have those cool extra features, so long as you know that it's not going to be 100% accurate.
Know yourself, though. If you think small inaccuracies or inconsistency could discourage you, then stick with something simpler.

Update! I was worried for nothing! I had my appointment with my neurologist today, and we spoke about my normal check up stuff, and barely got the request for the letter fully out of my mouth before she turned her chair around and started typing it up!

now I just need my nutrition evaluation (next Monday) and we can submit to the insurance. So excited and grateful that everything is going so smoothly. Thank you both!

Update! I was worried for nothing! I had my appointment with my neurologist today, and we spoke about my normal check up stuff, and barely got the request for the letter fully out of my mouth before she turned her chair around and started typing it up!

now I just need my nutrition evaluation (next Monday) and we can submit to the insurance. So excited and grateful that everything is going so smoothly. Thank you both!