Pricilla

You’ll have headaches and brain fog those first few weeks anyways, may as well ride that wave too and call it quits, hahaha. I didn’t even want a Diet Coke during those first few weeks. But everyone is different and thats ok! Don’t be so hard on yourself when you slip (because you’re human, and likely a food addict like most of us, so you will slip and you’ll pick yourself back up and learn. I’m learning everyday.)

I wanted salty and hot things, and even licked a cool ranch Dorito I think like day 5 or something crazy like that. When I started purées (I think day 10 maybe) I finally thought “oh ok I won’t be miserable forever”. I never knew just plain ol’ refried beans with a pinch of cheddar cheese could taste like a slice of heaven. I had a whole new appreciation for food, haha.
I also didn’t do a pre-op diet, just clear liquids 24 hours before surgery.

Another good low-cost high protein option is fat-free refried beans. A can at Target is 85 cents and you can get 4 or 5 servings out of it if you're only a few weeks post-op. I heat up about 3.5 oz in the microwave, then mix in about half ounce of shredded cheese and pour on a little taco sauce and it's delicious. I had that for dinner several days a week for the first couple of weeks post-op.

I disagree that its drastic for anyone with up to 100lb to lose. People have and maintain obesity for many reasons, some quite complex, which is aside from individual factors such as gender, height, age. I am quite short 100lb extra on me is massively obese, whereas, 100lb on a 6ft1 person may well be overweight or just in the early stages of obesity.
What a lot of people don't realise for lighter weight overweight person 25lb or 50lb is just as hard to lose as 100lb or 150lb for those who are more overweight.

It was the best thing I’ve ever eaten?

Yes, yes, yes! This is exactly my issue. I'm not an emotional eater or a binge eater, but if something I know is delicious is right in front of me I WANT it. It's extremely difficult for me to turn away from the temptation. As a sugar addict, I am abstaining from all forms of sugar and flour, so I KNOW BETTER, but I'm still inclined to reach out ant take the yummy item, even though I am again past the withdrawal stage.

I loathe taking my vitamins. I’m a month out. I’ve found if I eat a couple spoon fulls of sugar free pudding right after i swallow, it helps weigh it down.
After I have the pills in my mouth and the water, i lean my head back dramatically and tap on my throat to center the pills…. I’m sure I look REAL crazy.
I also stand there a while convincing myself not to to throw up and I sorta pat my belly to get burps out, hahahaha. This is everyday, every time.
I couldn’t stomach the bariatric advantage chew or calcium chews. So now I’m taking a centrum womens and a target brand calcium that I can swallow. I have an iron I’m to take every other day. A sublingual b-12 once a week. And a high dose thiamin every day, because I was deficient.

Over time you’ll get to recognise your signals & what you can & can’t eat easily. Some say they sneeze or get a runny nose when they’ve eaten enough. I don’t. If I eat too quickly or eat when stressed my restriction kicks in. If I eat food that’s too dry I’ll get the foamies or if really dry or coarse I’ll bring it up (not vomit but regurgitate). Dairy makes me gurgle more.
I’ve discovered my ‘I’m full’ message sometimes seems to take a lot longer to come through. This morning I ate my milky rolled oats over about 35 mins then some 30 mins later I started to feel full, then fuller & fuller. Groan! Felt like I’d bring it up but didn’t (I was driving so probably a good thing). To counter my sometimes slow full message I eat slowly: 30-60 minutes depending upon what I’m eating - it works most times. I ask myself do I need this next bite or do I just want it - this was a big thing for me. I also try not to eat until I’m full but until I’ve had enough - another big learning.
Never be afraid to put your cutlery down & sit back from the table. Use the pause to examine how you’re feeling & what you really need versus just want.
Good luck.

I am also 2.5(ish) months out. My surgeon doesn't require me to wait after drinking to eat, so I would normally eat the broth first. However, sometimes it might be hard to eat the protein component after drinking all the liquid. I didn't find that to be the case for me. If you have that issue, maybe just eat the protein/veggies and don't drink the liquid.
When I eat soup as a side, it's been pureed soup (carrot or mushroom) and so I think of that as liquid(ish), and I drink it with my meal. I didn't have any issues, but it was just about 1/2 cup or less.

I just really needed someone to witness this tiny sandwich (which I’m stoked to be eating). ???

Hi. My name is ms.sss and I am a human being.
I drink alcohol, coffee and carbonated water almost daily. I eat deep fried foods, fatty foods, and desserts on the regular. I eat popcorn (smothered in butter and lots of salt). There were 4-5 straight days just after Christmas where my diet for the entire day(s) consisted of solely alcohol and pecan butter tarts, no joke! I smoke cigarettes and drive well above the speed limit. I smoked pot almost every weekend last summer. I have not filed my personal income taxes for the past 2 years. If I'm home, I eat lunch on the couch with laptop, and binge watch TV for hours on end. I haven't taken my vitamins/supplements in over year. I didn't brush my teeth before I went to bed last night.
Sometimes (sometimes!) I worry that people will read what I post and get the wrong idea/message...like I'm eating too little, or too much, or just unhealthily. Or that I'm wholly irresponsible or going down the path the h*ll. Or, that someone with a different temperament than mine will do as I do and get unexpected results. But we are all adults here and we each can make decisions on our own lives without putting any onus on some stranger on the internet.
In the end, I don't assume any responsibility for your actions, nor your reactions to mine. I will commiserate with you, make suggestions, share a joke, and offer up my own personal experiences. But what you do with your lives is on you*.
* Clarification: You == the collective "You", NOT the OP nor anyone else on this thread specifically.

Every so often I feel torn on these forums about my role and what I should say.
On the one hand, I'm a veteran now....and have had success with this whole undertaking that I feel pretty proud of. There are a lot of struggles and things that I can comment about with some hard earned observations and experiences. I can be all.....mentory...and have good mentor-ish things to say to newbies.
Sometimes I feel a responsibility to *provide a good example* and only say things that are in harmony with the bariatric sages...and play the proper acolyte to the Bariatric Authority.
But here's the part where I feel torn.
I also want to tell the truth. I want to be the kind of poster I really enjoyed reading when I was first looking into this crazy ride.
I want to be unvanished, raw and HONEST. Because I value that in people. I value that risk. I value those stories....because sometimes people really need those stories. Even if they're terrible advice and provide a terrible example! Sometimes just knowing someone else....occasionally has a horrible day and eats the entire pack of four Yasso bars....helps you to live your life and forgive yourself.
I want to say: Yes, I drink diet soda. I know it's probably unwise and I also know there's hype about it that's untrue....AND....I know a lot of you drink it, too. And some of you drink real soda.....and will probably rot in hell for it. LOLOLOL
Ya'll won't admit it....but I've seen ya. I've peeked in those windows and I know you do all sorts of awful stuff. You eat peanut M&Ms and drink soda and beer and buy the occasional McDonald's kid's meal and can of Pringles. At Christmas, you cheat. You eat stuff you shouldn't. You ate Halloween candy. Ok, it was just a couple of pieces...but it made you happy.
We're not perfect. We screw up. We make questionable choices. Sometimes regularly. We STILL have unhealthy food moments. We're works in progress.
Can we talk about it as adults...knowing it's a crap example...but also knowing that it's human?
We still do weird assed extreme things in realtion to food.
How many calories in two almonds and one dried cherry? I HAVE TO WRITE IT DOWN.
How many grams of protien in one pint of donated blood? How many calories do I lose when I menstruate? I had a cold and blew my nose ten times and the internet says snot is made of protien...do I have to up my protien?
I once heard a lady on one of these boards say....she had her Flinstone chewable multi vitamin....for dessert after her meal. And it was delicious. ?
Is it wrong to admit I wanted to slap her?
I'll admit it...I ate a S'more about two weeks after I had surgery. I remember it as the most exquisite thing I've ever eaten...and I nibbled that one little square of heaven all night in front of the fireplace with the Christmas lights on. Licked it, actually. Down to a stump. LOL.
And Yes, ..a part of me is still screaming at myself.....You had a freaking S'more right after your surgery???? What the actual H*ll???!!! What were you thinking? (I lived...crap, I even lost weight to goal...but I commited this food crime. Guilty.)
Sometimes I think we lose our humanity in this environment....because as some folks have noticed, there's a competative thing. Some weird ick factor of needing the best score...the tiniest dinner...the least daily calories. "I'm going to get down to my original weight of 9 pounds 3 ounces if it kills me. Could someone please eat the other half of my lentil? It's too much for me."
And then I think....crap, maybe these folks really ARE as together as they seem and I'm just nutty and disordered and still fighting through this mess everyday three years out...isn't normal...
But then I look at the number of folks who wash out...and think......nope. MOST of us are struggling and screw up. MOST of us continue to screw up and figure it out.
Would be fun to do the research to put an actual number on it....
But I'd bet at least 90% of us...have secrets they would never disclose in a forum like this about one screw up or another.
I think we need a Confession thread. Where correction is not allowed. Where worry and concern (and abject horror) are forbidden to be expressed. Where we can just let that other lost soul know....yep, I licked a S'more, too....you're not alone.
All sins can be forgiven. Tomorrow is always a new day.

I made sure to go to the gym Thanksgiving morning like always, ate my usual breakfast and had a protein bar for lunch so I could enjoy Thanksgiving dinner with my family. I had turkey and a little portion of everything else ( mashed potatoes, corn, stuffing, gravy, roll and butter) as well as a small piece of apple pie and a few chocolate chip cookies. I stayed off the scale on Friday and returned to my tracking, gym/ exercise as usual. When I got on the scale today I was down 2#!
This is my first Thanksgiving after surgery. I think it went well and plan to do all holidays/ special occasions in a similar way. I work hard to track and meet my macros normally so I feel it is ok to relax for a holiday meal.

I just really needed someone to witness this tiny sandwich (which I’m stoked to be eating). ???

Adorable sandwich! Lol

Honestly, it's not a bad thing to do that so you know for those once in a blue days where you may not stick to the regime, and that's okay. They're so so rare and far and few inbetween that unless you're someone who easily rears off the deep end it's okay to indulge every once in a blue if it doesn't hurt you.

Happy Thanksgiving if any of you are celebrating, even if you aren't have awesome and safe day regardless!

Crazy how different everyone’s plans are! I’d love actual evidence based rationales, but there aren’t articles with actual research, it’s a little odd!

i have tested the waters with not the healthiest foods and chewed thoroughly (not proud, just weak). I’ve tolerated everything fine, and really wished I didn’t tolerate it. But I’m trying to get my sh*t together. I’m sticking to less than 3 oz at a time. It’s been a major adjustment, but everyday I’m making some changes for the better. Do I slip and lick the peanut butter knife while making my kid a sandwich, absolutely. Here’s to hoping tomorrow I don’t.

Crazy how different everyone’s plans are! I’d love actual evidence based rationales, but there aren’t articles with actual research, it’s a little odd!

i have tested the waters with not the healthiest foods and chewed thoroughly (not proud, just weak). I’ve tolerated everything fine, and really wished I didn’t tolerate it. But I’m trying to get my sh*t together. I’m sticking to less than 3 oz at a time. It’s been a major adjustment, but everyday I’m making some changes for the better. Do I slip and lick the peanut butter knife while making my kid a sandwich, absolutely. Here’s to hoping tomorrow I don’t.

I just really needed someone to witness this tiny sandwich (which I’m stoked to be eating). ???

I just really needed someone to witness this tiny sandwich (which I’m stoked to be eating). ???

I just made a tuna salad sandwich on one of those little pieces of very flat, thin Danish rye bread (the kind used for smørrebrød, but I didn't put any butter) and had the same reaction. Tiny, but so good.

I just really needed someone to witness this tiny sandwich (which I’m stoked to be eating). ???

I just really needed someone to witness this tiny sandwich (which I’m stoked to be eating). ???

Honestly I was just thinking about this earlier as a thing to do in the far future to celebrate, having a super tiny sandwich. I was thinking, "it'll probably feel like the best thing I've ever had" after going through the stages of recovery.

It's so dainty! I hope 30 minutes later you took some tiny sips of tea.

?
It has *everything*