Search the Community

I think nuts are a pretty good choice in moderation. The protein fills you up and the fat is healthy fat at least. I had to google wagyu because I had never heard of it. I will have to give that a try sometime. How did the cocktail go? I haven’t tried yet either. Post sleeve I was the opposite of most people and I couldn’t get a buzz even after like 3 or 4 drinks. I decided it was a waste of calories for me and haven’t drank since. Idk if that’s still the case post revision. I guess I may try eventually. Then again I haven’t missed it for a couple years so maybe I should just stay away from it.

Hi everyone! I have my surgery date scheduled for the 16th of March 2024. Due to a high BMI of 61 I have to do 4 weeks of the liver shrinkage diet. I started on Friday the 16th and I'm really struggling. I'm on total meal replacement shakes x 3 daily with just sugar free squash and water to drink alongside these. My total intake per day is 800 calories or less. How did you guys do it? I know I HAVE to do it, but it's so hard. I cry daily because I'm hungry and I want food. My stomach constantly growls, my stomach hurts and the shakes never feel like they satisfy any of that hunger. My partner is so supportive, he eats away from me and hides food so I don't feel any further distress and jealousy. I know why I'm doing this but I don't know how I'm expected to do this for a whole 4 weeks. Any advice or support is welcome. If anyone is doing the same atm for their March surgery please let me know, maybe we can buddy up! Thank you all ❤️ xKirstenx

Collagen Protein by itself is not considered a complete protein because it only has trace amounts (at best) of tryptophan, an essential amino acid. As @NickelChip mentioned, some collagen protein supplements add L-tryptophan to make a more complete protein. Looking at the one your husband is suggesting however, it does not look to have any added L-tryptophan, meaning it's really not suitable. Something else to keep in mind is that whey protein has a huge number of scientific studies showing it's better at muscle protein synthesis than collagen. A protein first diet is recommended for bariatric patients due to the desire to spare muscle catabolism when on a very low calorie diet. If whey is better at muscle protein synthesis, then it makes sense to focus on whey (or alternately on lean whole foods like chicken & fish). This is the reason almost all bariatric surgeons will tell you that it's fine to take collagen, but you should be careful if you are counting it toward your overall daily protein goals. FYI, due to your issues with artificial sweeteners, you probably should be looking for an unflavored version of whey protein isolate. Because it's unflavored, it's also likely to be unsweetened. I personally like Isopure brand, but there are others that are good as well.

That doesn't sound like enough food, or a very healthy choice, to be honest. Crispy chicken is fried. Sweet tea is nutritionally the same as soda and can provide a shocking number of empty calories. You aren't getting enough protein and if you're only eating once a day, that's probably messing up your metabolism. Just based on what my dietician has told me, I suggest three meals per day, a minimum of 60g protein per day, 64 oz water, and little to no sugar or simple carbs. You might try cottage cheese with fresh berries for breakfast, a spinach salad with 3oz grilled chicken for lunch, and 3oz baked salmon with steamed broccoli for dinner. Maybe add in a serving of raw almonds for a snack. Make sure you weigh all your portions.

Hello there and welcome! I was sleeved about 8 weeks ago now and I spent countless hours, days and months before surgery stressing about every little thing that I read and heard. Right up until surgery I was still hyperventilating! I totally understand how you feel right now. Now I'm on the other side I have to say there are some major challenges for me to deal with. I have been big my entire life and this is like a baptism by fire to me. What do I mean by that? Well I knew I had a food issue especially comfort eating but I didn't realise how bad it was until after my surgery. Head hunger is my biggest enemy I crave food a lot of times during my day. Interestingly enough I don't really crave junk food anymore because I have avoided that from the get go, I just miss the comfort of eating more if that makes sense. I did feel really drained and miserable months before surgery, I was so afraid of things going terribly wrong too, but I was Ok and it was worth it. I don't regret it and I am still early days. I have lost over2 and a half stone in that time and I am feeling much better than I was pre op. Now, you say you don't enjoy healthy food but what do you class a healthy? You will eventually be able to eat chicken, lean beef and pork mince, fish, cheese, yogurts, protein drinks, protein puddings and much more. You will also be surprised how much your tastes and cravings change post op, I know! I didn't believe it either! I make a healthy version of pizza with my own low calorie wholemeal base and low fat protein cheese with ham. It tastes better than the one I used to have before and it is a much healthier version. There's literally loads of ways you can alter your favourite foods to make them lower in calories and healthier too. Get on Pinterest and tiktok there's so much content out there for bariatric surgery patients. The main thing I should tell you with absolute certainty is that the sleeve is a tool not a quick fix. You really need to be fully prepared for the changes it will bring. You will need to put in the hard head work and explore a healthier way of life, Be willing to try healthier food and you may learn to like it. You will not be able to eat unhealthy food and get all the nutrients you need from your diet. If you are certain this is what you want to do then you need to research. you said you don't like healthy food but you also said you don't know how to eat healthy. This is where your research will come in. I noticed you said that you can't find the discipline but when you have a smaller tummy you physically can't eat as much, you will be in a lot of pain and then you will throw up! I wish you all the best on your journey, it's a hell of a ride! x

This is where it can get tough. I hated the waste of products and money as everything was Blahh. TBH there are still a few things that I can't stomach. How much longer are you on liquids only? Contact your team, If they are in office at this time of year. Tell them your struggles and see if they have alternative, if not improvise if you can't stomach the shakes a day longer. You need the nutrients. Can you drink Full Skimmed milk ? This has a surprisingly a lot of protein. To add more protein add a spoon of yogurt, dried milk powder or I flavored it with PB2 powder and banana. There is also consomme, boullion and bone broths. They don't have as many calories as protein shakes or milk but you need to get food in you. Once you get a little further along it gets easier, I promise. Others who used shakes will give you other pointers but the Fairlife brand does seem to me one they advocate, so fingers crossed for you there.

Best advice is to go back to how & what you were eating when you reached your stabilised weight. This was likely the calories and nutritions you needed at that weight. However a bounce back regain isn’t that uncommon. It’s like your body hits a low point but it was actually too low & then you gain a little & your body bobs up to get to what is actually your new set point & where your body is happiest. Check to see if you’ve let a few things slip like with your food or drink choices or or you’ve not been as vigilant about portion sizes, calories, activity, etc. It’s easy to get a bit over confident or complacent with our choices & behaviours. And life sometimes gets in the way of our best intentions. Unfortunately too, many medications, like those you may be on for your depression, can contribute to weight gain. Worth a conversation with your prescribing doctor to see if there are alternatives & also your surgeon to discuss your options to manage it.

I'm fairly certain its the other way around. The only thing you actually lose in hot weather is water weight causing dehydration. So make sure you drink more water with perhaps a bit of sodium added to your food! "You won't burn more calories in the heat, but that may be a different story in cold weather. According to the National Institutes of Health, the body works very hard to maintain its internal body temperature in both hot and cold environments. Yet, when it's cold, heat loss occurs and the internal body temperature drops, the hypothalamus (a small region in the brain) increases the body’s metabolism to generate heat. In addition, the muscles involuntarily contract to cause shivering and generate heat. Shivering also burns calories. However, a drop in body temperature or shivering only occurs in extreme and potentially life-threatening circumstances. Living in a cold climate does not necessarily translate to calorie burn." https://www.today.com/health/diet-fitness/burn-calories-heat-rcna157769

@ShoppGirl how did all your medical stuff go? Are you doing okay? @Justarwaxx I have heard periods get worse when your losing weight because so much estrogen is stored in fat, so when you lose fat you have more estrogen in your body, which in turn makes you cramp more and your flow worse. That has been my experience so far. I was hoping I would have lighter periods since I'm not intaking as many calories.

it took me 4 months (and ~15 lbs) to figure out my maintenance calories were. i also had to get over my fear of gaining all my weight back and actually start eating MORE. maintenance level calories are VERY individual, and vary greatly from person to person. and even then, it varies greatly form time to time for the SAME person. 4-ish months after achieving goal, i finally figured out that i needed 1800 cals a day to stop losing weight... AT THAT TIME. over the years, this amount has changed depending on my activity level. luckily, i am anal and i track my food intake and weight DAILY so i am armed with data to figure out what i need at any point in time. i am 6 years post op now, and these days i need about 2300-2500 to maintain my current weight (i exercise alot). had i continued to stay at 1800 cals from the before days i would have shrunk beyond what i wanted. soooooo....long story short: your maintenance calories will change depending on your output and input, on your sleep patterns, overall health, stress levels, age, genetics, etc....its up to you to notice what affects you and act upon it. so, so, so, so, many times i read folks on here saying "i gained/lost weight and i just don't know why!". the answer is PAY ATTENTION....you will know why. P.S. i do know that "normal" people don't need this level of attention to stay at a healthy weight. i also know that i am NOT a "normal" person. i mean, i got to a BMI of 43 (from BMI 23), in 10 years. it takes more "effort" for me to stay at a healthy weight that a "regular" person. so i do what i am willing to do.

As of yesterday, I was back under 200 pounds, so that was an exciting milestone! I have been tracking my food, walking each day, doing a long hike on the weekends, and the weight has been coming off at the expected pace. I am averaging about 1300 calories a day in consumption and my watch says I am averaging about 2300 calories a day of burn, which works out to an average calorie deficit of 1000 per day and I am right on that target of losing 2 pounds per week. I am really pleased that my metabolism seems normal and that my restriction still prevents me from eating too much in a single sitting. I had a long chat with my husband about how "dieting" is so different this time around from when I had lost weight pre-surgery. This is my first time really trying to lose weight since my surgery and it is definitely much easier than it used to be.

I was the same way. I had my surgery at the end of August and even still I am slow to lose weight; I thought it would just "melt" off after surgery because of how few calories I was intaking, so it has been frustrating. I'm trying to trust the process and follow my food plans, but I think the point is that everyone loses differently and we can't help which camp we are in.

Hi all, I am 3 weeks post-op, and I don’t have any calorie guides from my nutritionist. She only focuses on protein intake and low carb options. In the past I have used calories as my main indicator and am struggling a little with diet conceptions now and after the transition periods without them. I have a goal of 60 g of protein a day and 1-1.5 l of liquids for hydration. I was just wondering if anyone has daily calorie guidelines that they can share?? Tia!

You need to schedule and appointment with your surgeon (or his or her NP or PA) if you really are weighing and measuring every little Thing and only getting 800 calories you shouldn’t be gaining but something is getting missed. It could Be medical or you may be missing something in your count. Either way it sounds like this dietician had already made her mind up that there is only one possibility and she probably isn’t going to be the one to help you get to the bottom of things. Make an appointment with your team and start taking pics of all of your food so you can show them exactly what you’re eating everyday. Make an album with all the food pics and hand them your phone so they can scroll through and see for themselves. When I regained after my sleeve. I was embarrassed to go back to team and thought they were going to be so hard on me and when I went back, I realized I couldn’t have been further from the truth. They were so open and compassionate and understanding and all they wanted to do was help. Obesity is complex and they realize it. They go in this field for a reason. They may not get to the bottom of it in one visit. It may even take a few, but trust me it’s worth.It. Don’t give up.

Hello everyone! I'm checking in - @ShoppGirl- It sounds like you've really been through the wringer! You are a superstar for managing both chemo, a virus, and surgery recovery all at the same time and I hope you're being gentle with yourself and giving yourself lots of pats on the back! @Chatterbox - YES - portion sizes have gotten more flexible; for me taking an ADEK supplement has helped with the hair shedding; I've gone through that to a point as well and typically have VERY thick hair and I've noticed some extra shedding but even with that it hasn't thinned my hair dramatically. @Justarwaxx - You're doing great!! Please be kind to yourself! With increased activity level the calorie consumption does have to go up so you can keep up your energy! Now that I'm using my Fitbit I am able to better see my activity levels - I haven't hit 10k in a day but I got close a couple of days and my average went below 5k per day while I was sick as well (Gosh it's going around!) but I think the important thing is to LISTEN to your body, give it fuel, and just try to have more calories spent than you take in. I'm burning over 3k calories more days than not so if I eat a few carbs, a piece of bread once in a while, a half a sandwich, some veggies - that's ok. I think a lot of it is knowing and understanding the difference like so many have said on 'head hunger' vs 'physical hunger'. Usually at a given meal I eat maybe a total of a cup of food; I try to aim for at least half of each meal to be protein, then veggies, then maybe a little rice or other starch. I'm hit and miss on my food logging; I slipped for a few weeks and am trying to reset. I wanted to repost these recipes I used during the puree period because I don't know about ya'll but I tend to find things that work well and then totally forget they exist! Lately I've been doing lots of soups for myself and my family. I made an easy chicken noodle soup yesterday with half a rotisserie chicken breast, I steamed carrots and celery in the microwave until they were soft, sautéed some diced onion in garlic and onion with a little chicken broth, then added it all together with the cooked chicken breast cut up and more chicken brother. I threw in a small handful of egg noodles and let it all simmer. When I do something like a soup with meat I try to serve myself up a bowl that is heavy on the chicken and light on the veggies. You can do basically the same thing with broccoli, cabbage, and canned or fresh diced tomatoes. Fluids and healthy veggies with a protein is my go to; and I'm doing pretty well with my personal progress. You all got this! Don't get discouraged when you go through stalls; some weeks I will lose about 2 lbs and then the next week I might lose 6 lbs; it's all a process and the weight loss will slow and become more steady as long as you watch your calories, eat healthy at least 80-90% of the time - it's about getting your nutrients and staying at a calorie deficit. ❤️ Reposted recipes from earlier: "I'd say the hardest part for me continues to be the 'No drinking 30 mins before/after meals' but I use the Baritastic app to set a time. I also use the timer to make sure my 'meals' take at least 30 minutes. Want to make sure I don't rush and end up feeling poorly afterward. Things that have worked well for me during my puree stage include egg drop soup, chicken/tuna salad made with puree chicken or tuna, light mayo, and sometimes a bit of relish, and for added protein a boiled egg or two, with or without the yolks per preference. (Dill relish is healthier than sweet relish). I did allow myself 2-3 saltines with those, usually about 3.5 oz of the tuna or chicken salad makes me feel sated. Other recipes that have worked include the ricotta bake and unstuffed cabbage rolls, pureed low fat/0 sugar yogurt or cottage cheese with Genepro powder and cooked, strained strawberries or blueberries (I added a bit of 0% Milk to make it more of a smoothie), Riccotta pureed with either a bit of fruit or avocado, small serving of oatmeal pureed with fruit (test yourself with an ounce or two less than you normally eat for oatmeal because it sits heavy and often swells - add some zero or skim milk to make it thinner if needed. Other recipes include homemade no-noodle chicken soup of sorts with rotisserie chicken, chicken broth, and pureed carrots w/a little bit of onion powder or diced onion. I also made a homemade 'philly cheese steak' filling of sorts with some sautéed bell peppers and a bit of diced onion, some roast beef lunch meat, and cream cheese. Others speak highly of pureed refried beans with a bit of seasoning to taste more like taco meat, adding either a bit of mild salsa or a combination of onion powder and perhaps a bit of cumin. That's a personal choice, and definitely suggest going slow with your seasoning due to possible heartburn. You could add a bit of shredded low-fat/skim mozzarella or even low fat sour cream to round it out. Today I made 'chicken pot pie w/no crust' which was basically just cooked carrots and finely diced celery and onions with finely diced rotisserie chicken with a can each of 98% fat free cream of celery and 98% fat free cream of chicken. I haven't had any yet because I'm a little unsure about the celery, even cooked, but pureed and in a small serving I'm sure it would treat me fine. The Ricotta Bake I made was super simple and I know there are a lot of variations to the recipe online. I made my own marinara sauce by peeling about 5 smallish tomatoes, dicing them, and simmering them with a little less than equal parts water, Italian seasoning, and a bit of diced onion. The ricotta mixture was easy; just used 8oz ricotta cheese, 1 egg, 1/2 cup of grated parmesan (I used the shaker but fresh is better) and 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese. I put a layer of half the mix on the bottom of a buttered baking dish, topped it with 1/2 lb cooked and seasoned ground beef, then put the rest of the mixture on top. Poured about 3/4 of the homemade marinara over it then covered the dish with aluminum foil and baked at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes. It's basically a no-noodle lasagna. The Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls I made were equally easy - I used a rotary grinder (Works SO well, bought on Amazon for around twenty bucks) to grate half a head of lettuce. Instead of canned diced tomatoes I once I again peeled about 5 small/medium tomatoes and diced them, adding to the skillet along with maybe 1/8 cup diced onion and another 1/2 lb of the ground beef. For seasoning the recipe I used just had me add a packet of Italian Dressing Seasoning mix. The family enjoyed it and after pureeing the ground beef a bit I found it fine to eat, although slowly and very well chewed. Both it and the Ricotta bake probably make about eight 1/3 cup servings with about 22g of Protein each.

I was going to say some of the same things @Justarwaxx said! I watched a reel on - I think maybe Facebook? - that addressed the notion that some people have on a Monday after having a couple of cheat meals over the weekend and suddenly the scale says they gained 5 lbs - and the fact that thinking like that isn't realistic. You don't gain 5 lbs in 48 hours unless you are eating something like 4500 calories per day and not moving AT ALL. There is a LOT of wiggle room in what the scale reads. When it comes to weight loss, the goal is to create a calorie deficiency so if you are burning more calories than you are putting into your body consistently you're GOING to lose weight. A lot of factors are at play with what the 'scale' reads, including digestion, fluid retention, even hormonal changes. Plus, yes, with the extra exercise you're doing I bet your body is simply trying to find it's consistent expectation so it knows how much energy you need, how many calories it can expect, and how much fat to break down to keep you running like a well maintained machine! Plateaus are GOING to happen throughout this process. It's a marathon, not a sprint, too -- keep in mind that you're going to be losing weight for the next 18+ months more than likely. Just keep at it, and try not to weight yourself too often. I know it's hard, because we want to see those RESULTS, NOW! (At least *I* do ) but... be patient. We're only a couple of months out from our surgeries!

I get the routine thing. I very much stick as closely to my routine as I can but sometimes I just can’t. All I can do is Just make the best choices I can. I can do no more than that. Don’t beat myself up about it but know I will be back in my routine when I get home. That’s all you can do too. You don’t want to negatively colour your wonderful holiday overly worrying about dietary choices. There are things you can do. Keep your activity up. Check on what the cruise offers in terms of gyms, walking routes around the ship, classes, etc. and make a plan to incorporate something every day. Plus you’ll probably be doing a lot of walking at your various stops which will help balance any additional calories you consume. But you may be surprised at what may be available food wise. Don’t hesitate to ask for changes to dishes either. And if you put on a couple of pounds, you’ll find they drop off once you’re back on your path only needing a small change temporarily to lose them. Have a n amazing time on the cruise.

Have you seen a bariatric specialist? It sounds like something other than a small pouch to me I am over 6 years out, but I still have a lot of restriction. My capacity for the last 5+ years has held steady at about 4 oz. So a small frozen burrito, a taco bell taco, etc. But that does not restrict the amount I can eat in a day, and certainly not necessary to stay up at night. Is there a reason you can't eat slider foods, calorie dense foods, eat more frequently?

I don't think I ate anything that made me sick post op, except for sugar (I am sure it is a form of dumping). At 10+ months post op I eat everything, and by everything I mean I can eat everything and feel fine, my portions are much smaller of course. I eat tacos, burgers, sushi, noodles, pizza and even dessert but in smaller amounts. I eat out 2-3 times a week. Here are some things I follow that help me eat what I feel for in moderation: - I do not drink my calories, other than an oat/almond flat white, all my drinks are calorie free. I do not drink alcohol nor sugary drinks. I drink water, diet soda and coffee and that's about it. - I limit deep fried food, I almost always opt for grilled/air fried/baked. If there's a portion of fries and I really want some, I will have one or two and stop. - I prioritize protein 90% of the time. On weekdays I always start with my protein, then my veggies THEN a tiny bit of carbs if I have space (most of the time there is not much space left). When I'm out for a nice dinner or I've ordered in I will eat my order the way it is and will not pick the protein first, so if I've ordered a burger I will eat it as it, or if it is sushi i will eat that and not worry about protein first, but that is only a couple times a week. - I make tweaks and substitute when taste isn't compromised. I love my big mac tacos but I don't want to be eating 200+ calories from a tortilla, so I substitute that with a mission low carb because I really can't taste the difference, or it's negligible. I also substitute wheat toast for protein toast (still occasionally eat sourdough because I love it and can taste the difference). I also opt for low fat milk/dairy/meats when I can, but I will not substitute cheddar for a low fat version for example because MELTED CHEDDAR 🤤 - I eat carbs in tiny amounts. So if I'm snacking and picked up a cookie, I will eat a bit of it or half at most. If it is a slice of cake I make sure it is tiny or I will eat half the slice, if it's ice cream it is half a scoop. I can't tolerate much of sugar and it makes me ill but I will taste/try. And it has to be WORTH IT. I will not eat something for the sake of eating it, I should really want to try/eat it, and if it ends up not being good, I will not continue eating it. - I workout a lot, I lift, I run, I do Pilates, I cycle and close my steps. I stay active. If you can control your portions and refrain from the "all or nothing mindset" it is very possible to eat what you like and maintain your results, at the end of the day it's calories in vs calories out. Also, my moto is that life is too short to be living miserably (I love food LOL). I will however say that I recommend that you hit maintenance first before exploring with the above. I was VERY strict during weight loss and ate 100% clean.

So I've been at my goal weight, but I'm still losing weight. I'm trying my best to maintain it and it's becoming difficult to do so. How do I healthily stay at the weight I'm at? I've tried the steps I found online like having more smaller meals throughout the day or adding more calories, but I don't have the appetite to do so and clearly can't eat as much as I used to due to the surgery. Would high protein foods work despite it being low in calories? Has anyone else run into this unexpected predicament? Or know of some good advice?

I don't know if this is your issue or not, but one thing I've seen from others in a similar situation is that they still eat like fat people trying to diet. If that's you, you need to completely change your mindset. Your job at this point is to GAIN weight, so dietary fat and carbs are your friends. A key change would be to look for and eat more calorie dense foods like rice, potatoes, peanut butter, full fat dairy, etc. If you eat meat, look for fatty meat, not lean cuts. Calories are your friends right now. Just my .02.

@ShoppGirl I am a super Type A, and research Nazi before I do anything LOL I have looked into all the risks, it took me entire year to even make the appointment with my doc for the sleeve and then I have been looking into a breast augmentation for a couple of years. The risks were what scared me, but yes I got the gummy bear implants so the risks are lower than saline for a leak. I will absolutely give you all my tips and tricks when your down and out as well! And yes, I have been having fun shopping and trying on tops that shows off the girls LOLOLOL @SpartanMaker I will definitely check in, I am taking everything into account of all the advice. When I do workout I am easily eating 2100-2400 and I stayed on the lower end of my end, but the range gives more flexibility. I know when I was so strict on my calorie goal that I set for myself I was over obsessing with it and I was falling into the other side of the spectrum of a really toxic relationship with food which was to avoid it and not eat. I am trying to find that happy medium, its taking time but I am getting there! I am hoping that on Friday for my appt it will be 1month post op and he gives me the go to at least do cardio! fingers crossed!

Hi all! So I am working on Maintenance, I feel good, I *think* I look good, health is great, I am eating anywhere from 1800-2000 calories a day. I am burning around 500-700calories for my workout and walking over 10k steps a day usually hitting 11,500 steps. I am maintaining which is great! I am hungry or I get lethargic which when I eat helps a lot! My obese mind set is slightly freaking out. and I am scared because I'm still within the year of my surgery I am messing it up. I have tried all week to stay within the 1500-1700 calories, 140g carbs, 40g fat that my bariatric packet tells me, and its IMPOSSIBLE. I know I have done well on this journey, I am just terrified of going back and eating too much and ruining all this progress. My approximate daily macros: 1700-2000 calories 100-150g carbs 130-175g protein 65-80g fat Just need reassurance I am not alone in this journey.

Had a productive visit with my doctor today, and there's some good news as well as a few adjustments to make. She was happy with my weight loss progress so far, but made it clear that it could be better. Her main concern is the calories I'm consuming, so the goal moving forward is to cut down a bit. One key suggestion was to start considering protein snacks as meal replacements, which makes sense to keep things in check. Since these are my "honeymoon months," she emphasized that it’s essential to get this right now to avoid hitting a stall by the 6-month mark. My workouts, on the other hand, are spot-on, so the primary focus will be on tweaking meals—specifically reducing carbs and being mindful of snack choices. On the health front, I’ve started taking iron supplements and will be getting my vitamin levels checked this Sunday. However, one piece of disappointing news: the counselor is no longer available, so if I need support, I’ll have to look for external options. Overall, I'm feeling a mix of being a little down but also more motivated to fine-tune my food intake and cut back on calories. I’m determined to make the most of these critical months and maximize my progress.

Had a productive visit with my doctor today, and there's some good news as well as a few adjustments to make. She was happy with my weight loss progress so far, but made it clear that it could be better. Her main concern is the calories I'm consuming, so the goal moving forward is to cut down a bit. One key suggestion was to start considering protein snacks as meal replacements, which makes sense to keep things in check. Since these are my "honeymoon months," she emphasized that it’s essential to get this right now to avoid hitting a stall by the 6-month mark. My workouts, on the other hand, are spot-on, so the primary focus will be on tweaking meals—specifically reducing carbs and being mindful of snack choices. On the health front, I’ve started taking iron supplements and will be getting my vitamin levels checked this Sunday. However, one piece of disappointing news: the counselor is no longer available, so if I need support, I’ll have to look for external options. Overall, I'm feeling a mix of being a little down but also more motivated to fine-tune my food intake and cut back on calories. I’m determined to make the most of these critical months and maximize my progress.