AmberFL

Okay maybe I am the minority? But I drink zero cal sodas- I didn't until I was over a year out and it started with me being super tired on a hot day- and a crisp Cherry coke zero sounded good. So I drank it, survived and it was delicious! I drink them very very sparingly but I do drink soda water almost everyday. I like flavored Hop waters too. Especially those times where I am snacky and I don't need to eat I will sip on a soda water and its delicious!

girl you rock it!! You work effing hard!

girl you can now!! your teeny!

I love this!! something that I am coming to terms with that the number on the scale is just a number, I have been battling with oh I'm too thin I need to gain weight well once I gained the weight after my BA I am not happy. But I still wear the same size, I can exercise the same, I look better with bewbies, that I need to be okay that my body is happy and healthy at this point. I just need to keep doing what I'm doing and stop sabotaging myself or giving myself negative thoughts. I am so proud of you!!

Hell yes!! I honestly don't care if people see my extra skin I have worked hard for what I have now lol Lots of sweat and tears literally. go us!!

@Mspretty86 I did not either, I breastfed my children so I have not seen perfectly round nipples in quite some time hahhah!

You are hot! rock on with your bad self! My style has changed for sure, I would wear only bootcut jeans, loose tops, never tank tops, never shorts, wore a ton of makeup. I am 36 and a mom of 3 younger children, so my everyday I am more simple, mom jeans and a crop top with my vans/converse, or I will wear skinny jeans and a tank top. I will wear shorts and crop top/ tank/fited top, summer dresses. Minimal makeup, just my lash extensions and eyebrows (unless I'm going out or having a date night then I will glam up!) I am back to brown hair which I feel suits me more. Also with my new enhancement I feel sexier when I wear tops. Going swimming I will wear a bikini (GASP!) I feel like dressing up everyday for work and to actually try!

@Mspretty86 once they settle they will look so beautiful!!! I am about 6months post and they are pretty. They looked high and rectangle for a min hahha! I am so happy for you!!!

omgsh that is amazing!!!! what an experience!!!! Good luck on the surgery!

I post here for advice, encouragement and always get such uplifting/helpful comments. I just need this to get out to my bari-fam! I am 15months post op. I have done well, got down to my goal weight fairly quickly, made leaps on my fitness journey and just pretty proud of how far I have come. Lately, body dysmorphia is really rearing its ugly head and I am not dealing with it well. I am punishing myself with binge eating...All of April has just sucked a$$ for me. I am maintaining, continuing my workouts, my days are great then I go home at night, I grab a few chips, leads to some sweets, leads to some bread and butter, ect....do I eat a ton of it? No but I don't feel good when I eat it. Last week, I went on a week long drinking fiasco- I used to drink...a lot pre-surgery- Last night I ate Jack in the box tacos.. you know those disgusting delicious mini tacos and my feel like garbage today! I am letting my emotional eating get the best of me and I am struggling to get back. I woke up at 5 walked on my treadmill at 10incline 3.8speed but at the end of the day you cannot exercise a shitty diet. I wake up every single day and tell myself okay new day lets get back on track. And every single day I just cannot seem to get my ish together when I am at home. I am getting rid of all the bad snacks and getting everyone on the healthy train. I am trying and I am so terrified that I will get back to 300lbs again. Looking at the mirror, I see how big I am, I see the tummy, I see the hanging skin, I see everything negative when in reality I probably look fine. Not sure what I am looking for outta this post, but I needed to get it out and not hide my food struggles because I did that and it lead to me hiding food and getting up to 300lbs.

It sounds like your going to be very busy so maybe you wont be so focused on food. A part of my success is attributed to meal prepping- I meal prep every single week. Sometimes I meal prep meals for grab or go or I will meal prep items for those tempting nights at home where I want to eat cereal or something that is not so great instead of cooking. you will get quicker at meal prep too, I used to take 2+ hours now I can whip up my meal prep in 1hour. I also learned to not complicate it. Easy meals can be just as delicious! I bulk prep chicken breast, and ground beef, hard boiled eggs, wash and cut up veggies/fruits, make sure to have Greek yogurt and cottage cheese on hand, It does make life easier when your prepared! Also having better choice snacks stocked up in the fridge/pantry helps too! Cheese sticks, jerky, flavor packets for water (if you like that) protein shakes, protein powder, protein bars (recommend Built bar or fulfil bar), unsweetened almond milk. skinny syrups for coffee...theres more its just off the top of my head these things lol

wow! I will be following to see how its going! I have read putting the phone away after a certain does help with better sleep so I am curious if you get the same results.

My win for the week is that I’m finally getting back to the fitness level I was at before my 7-week break. I’m almost lifting as heavy as I was, my endurance is better, and overall I’m feeling really good about my progress. I’m trying not to focus too much on the number on the scale (still being mindful) but paying more attention to how my clothes fit, how I look, and how I feel health-wise.

I actually got below my goal weight around 7–8 months post-op—down to about 161–163 lbs—and stayed there until I got my boobs done (lol). I had the surgery just before hitting my 1-year post-op mark, and honestly, I wouldn’t change that decision for anything. I know people often say to wait until your weight stabilizes, but my plastic surgeon only required that I’d maintained my weight for at least 6 months, which I had at that point. Right now, I’m sitting on the higher end of my weight, around 170–173 lbs, but I’m also lifting a lot more, so some of that is definitely muscle (and the implants, of course). I still fit into size 4 pants and S-M tops, so I’m trying not to stress about that number. (Easier said than done) I work out consistently, with a mix of heavy lifting and cardio. Eventually, I’d love to get a 360 body lift, but one thing at a time, plastics are pricey! Even if I could afford it right now, I’d still want to wait at least another year. I had to take seven weeks off lifting weight after my surgery, so I’m focused on rebuilding and seeing how much I can tighten up on my own before committing to the next step. You're doing amazing! keep it up!

Men’s and women’s bodies are different, but for reference—I started at 297 lbs and am now between 165–170 lbs. I went from a size 20 to a size 4 in pants and from a 3X top to an XS–S. I do have loose skin, but it’s not as bad as it could’ve been because I started strength training about 3 months post-op and never stopped. I’ve always made cardio a priority too. Here’s what my weekly workout routine looks like: 2 upper body days 2 lower body days 1 full-body HIIT (with weights) 1 cardio-only day Even on my lifting days, I still include some form of cardio—walking, Stairmaster, biking, or whatever I’m in the mood for that day. It keeps things balanced and helps me stay consistent in my fitness journey. My biggest advice is really take that time to get your relationship with food in check, even though I'm in maintenance mode, I still have issues sometimes with binging- just being truthful- but I am able to control it and get myself in check the next day. Pre-op I would've just given up and kept the binge fest going. Stick to foods that you know you enjoy but also fuel your body. Track! I know its not for everyone but it sure helps me stay accountable. No diet is perfect, its not a thing- the main thing is if you fall off track dust yourself off and get back at it!

I just want to share my excitement, I got my reminder text for my breast augmentation and lift appointment next week! In 3 short weeks I will have new bewbs. Mostly I am excited about having more confidence in myself and my shirts looking like they fit and not baggy off my chest.

@Mspretty86 hell no! just in the privacy of my own hidden folder in my phone! lol I would not post them publicly even my pretty ones I paid for hahah

@Mspretty86 duh HAHAH!!! My before are so sad, but my confidence has skyrocketed!

I weighed myself out of curiosity. I wanted to give it an entire week but I couldn't wait! I lost 5.6lbs! I don't think all of it was fat, but my body was so inflamed. I can tell a difference! I am 6lbs away from my pre-op BA surgery!

awesome job! keep it up! keep posting you will get a plethora of knowledge and advise

Clean Simple Eats is really good. You can get the variety pack- adding them into Greek yogurt helps because that tang balances out the sweetness in my opinion. Isopure is great and very low carb, Premier protein is good. Latte one with decaf coffee makes an excellent cold brew. Making shakes and adding them are "ok" just have to be careful they can end up being high in calories and not super filling. You can do unsweetened almond milk, scoop of powder, 1/4 of banana, 1/4C of Greek yogurt, handful of spinach if you wanted to keep is low cal, and high protein. But are you trying to protein shakes/ powders due to the stage you are in your journey? I am 16months post op and am able to get all my protein from food. (I am able to eat probably more food than the average post op patient)

HOLY ISH! A year already?! Time has flown! I still remember the beginning of your journey and those first posts—wow, you've come so far and done so incredibly well! I'm seriously so proud of you!! I totally agree with @SpartanMaker—maintenance is no joke, and exercise really does make all the difference. Weight lifting has been key for me too. It helps so much with maintaining, even more than cardio sometimes. Build that muscle and you're burning calories just by existing. Cardio is still super important,! I’m still figuring out maintenance myself, but my workouts have been consistent and even through my 2month spat of not being able to get my nutrition in control, making sure I kept up with exercise has been key I have been consistently doing this and its been great: 35–45 minutes of strength training, 5 days a week, At least 30 minutes of cardio daily (treadmill, dog walks, biking—whatever tickles my fancy), 2 lower body days, 2 upper body, 1 full body and one day a week my doggy and I do a 5-mile walk (she gets a walk every day, but that’s our long one). You’ve been so fabulous through this whole process, and I can’t wait to hear about your continued journey!

Thank you!! I have been trying to beef up my meals instead of eating small "snacks" I can eat more than the usual bariatric patient I think? lol I am still eating around 1700-1800 calories a day but what I am filling those calories with are very much different and I am glad I am back at it!

@Mspretty86 You have a great PCP!! I bet the excitement is overpowering, once you have your surgery you feel like a whole new woman! You seem confident already but your going to be shining bright! Ugh my lower belly "apron" "fupa" whatever we call it is most annoying for me. Price we pay for years of abuse to our body. But it can be fixed! a little nip and tuck lol