NtvTxn

You are doing fantabulous!!!!! Good for you!

I attended the seminar two months prior to surgery. At that time, I was not living in TX, I was in WI, so it was not financially feasible for me to fly back two weeks prior then again when it was time for surgery. We crammed my 2 week pre op visit, seminar and all the instructions, into the one visit! They were wonderful to work with me. Anyway, to shrink my fatty liver, I had to lose between 10 and 15 lbs before surgery. NO LIQUID diet was required, just the weigh loss, which was the point. I have ALWAYS been able to lose, and I did, twenty-three pounds. Doctor was thrilled and so was I. I used that two months to start new habits and break some that needed to be broken. A win/win!!! I flew in two days before surgery, had blood work done and the day before I had the clear liquids only thing that is required and a laxative which was NOTHING, no big deal at all. I was expecting something like you have to do before a colonoscopy, but this was a breeze!

This made me giggle. YOU are brilliant......quick witted and a good story teller. Kudos to you!!! I hate them, I know it's their job, but that's tough!!! There is not a DNC list for businesses, which is too bad. My husband, who is the IT Director for a SW company loves, LOVES messing with them when he gets one.

I'm sorry for you, and her.

I went to protein shots, from GNC, because after 1 week of trying, I was not getting enough protein and because I was spending so much time trying, I was lacking in water as well. These little jewels, 3.5 oz and 43 grams of protein. They tasted just as bad, but I'd hold my nose, take a few sips and rinse my mouth out with water. I'd take a few more sips (I held my nose too, just like a kid) at lunch and I'd finish it off that evening. I'd gotten one in my "to go" bag from Forest Park Medical Center, when I was discharged. I don't think they consider it the BEST protein, but I never had any hair loss, no thinning at all, and my labs have always been very good. I highly recommend this stuff....it saved me!!!

Try lowering your calories. I know everyone is different, but at six weeks out I was only getting in between 400 - 500 calories. What are you eating? I still don't get hungry, I get an empty feeling, I call it my new hunger, but no 'OMG, I'm starving' - not ever.....so eating very little was easy in the beginning, over time I could/would eat more, but during my losing stage, never over 800 and that was the last month and not every day. To maintain I get in 1300 calories a day and the only way I can get that much in, unless I started eating a lot of stuff I shouldn't, is by adding in a few snacks every day......graham crackers, sliced ham, an additional glass of skim milk. I cut out cheese and nuts as snack items, too high in calories! I feel like I've gone back to grazing, but that is the only way I can get in enough calories. I drop back to 1200, and I'll lose. Slowly but surely, but I do lose. There is a fine line and we all have to find where ours is. Good luck!!!

I've been weighing EVERY single morning for almost three years. The only time I do NOT weigh is when we are out of town!!! My doctor recommends it! It keeps ME in control. For instance, yesterday I woke up three pounds heavier.....thank you Easter weekend!!! Protein upped to 95 yesterday, cake was out of the house......back to my normal life. I'd much rather know at three lbs and not weigh every ten or fourteen days and be up TEN!!!! That would be overwhelming, this three lbs is NOT. I know I'll go up and down, that is normal. I do not get upset, depressed - but it's part of my life, I go up and down 3 or 4 lbs every week.

During my entire losing period, I would go up a lb or 2, a time or two, 3 lbs, then I'd lose it, up again and then I'd wake up and it would be gone for good. On to the next couple of lbs. I heard from ol' timers, that this was normal for them as well. Not really a plateau as it was and up and down, up and down. One time I did this for 10 days! Just know, if you are doing what you should, you are good.....and this is normal. I did treat these times as a plateau and followed the dietitians instructions. Up protein and liquids. It will give you a kick start. I am 2 months away from being 3 yrs out and I've been playing with this theory the past two weeks. I don't want to lose more, I think my body is comfy where it is, which is still a few lbs below goal....but it was a test. Upped my protein from 60 - 65 to 75 - 95. Lost three lbs last week....BEFORE Easter and carrot cake. Back on track yesterday, 95 grams of protein!! Good luck and relax, it's all good!!!

Carbonated drinks, that's the only "no no" - but there are things I CHOOSE not to eat. I don't mindlessly eat now, I am aware of everything I put in my mouth, sometimes I shouldn't but I am aware of it. I just had most of a hot fudge sundae from McDonald's and now I wish I'd not had it. It didn't taste nearly as good as I'd anticipated. Oh well....this happens some times, and I've done a lot of research, the McDonald's sundae is the least of all evils as far as ice cream goes.

I use Fitday to track protein and calories! I'm 27 months out and still log my food and I weigh every day.

It's the best thing I've ever done. I lost 23 lbs the two months prior to surgery, and another 55'ish just a few days shy of five months. That is weight, God willing, that will be gone forever. I've lost 50 two other times in my life, and it took about the same amount of time, and I promptly gained it back. I've been maintaining since Dec 2010, that is a miracle!!! It's like nothing you've ever experienced before. Sit back and enjoy the journey, enjoy the ride!

Also, I stopped drinking with my meals a month prior to surgery, just so I'd get use to it.

You do not want to sabotage yourself. You need to follow the 'rules' until you reach goal. The honeymoon period, the period of greatest weight loss is the first year. I personally think it's the first 7 - 8 months. You want to lose as much as you can and work on changing bad habit. A drink every so often AFTER you are at goal, is fine. Right now, I'd stick to sparkling grape juice, or whatever it's called. The rule of thumb is NO drinking while you eat. My doctor said we can drink up until the meal, then 30 minutes afterwards. I always order Water at a restaurant, one reason, the waitstaff will bug you to death if you order nothing......and I try and drink the entire glass before I eat, I NEED the water! I was able to start introducing salad back into my diet after six weeks. I eat very little because it isn't what I 'need' but I do enjoy a salad with a few croutons. Just an FYI, the few times I've taken a drink while eating....if something was really spicy or I got choked up, it wasn't very comfortable.