I was going to call this Break On Through To The Other Side (thank you Doors). But I figured I'd get sick of it after a while. I'm going to use this space to keep track on the 2 week march toward surgery and then to keep track of the recovery and progress. That way I can keep it all together and if I just do one thread, it's all in one place without clogging up the Blog Area. I'm sure it's gonna be excruciatingly boring to everyone--me included! I'm a list and minutia kinda gal. I like tracking and counting--although I can be equally lax about crap. So I stop just short of OCD town (not that there's anything wrong with that).

My official 2 week liquid diet starts tomorrow. I decided to jump on it today because Sunday feels like a great place to start and because it's hard to do better than yesterday as my last food day before surgery. I'm a Texan, born and raised, and yesterday we had a fairwell to my ass and thighs via a Texas BBQ tour through Houston and Tomball. I ate so much brisket, sausage and ribs, I can honestly claim to be over it. Growing up in a BBQ family, slow smoked meats is almost in my blood. So it was only natural that I would choose that as the last rights.

I'm having RNY on February 20th and as I understand it, moist (fatty) brisket might not be my friend post surgery. Supposedly high fat foods (which moist brisket is) might cause a sort of "dumping" in the poop department. So I figure my future, once healed, might only include lean cuts of brisket and smoked meats. It's a choice I will readily make to lose weight and get my health back.

So the morning Day 1 hasn't been very difficult--a little hunger and growly tummy, but nothing that makes me feel anxiety. Protein drinks on board and this afternoon will shop for SF popsicles, SF jello and bone broth. I think I'll stick to packaged bone broth so I can get the actual nutritional information from a certified source. There's no real way for me to tell how many calories and carbs are in the bone broth I make here at home.

My Pre-Op Plan includes: 80-100g of protein; low fat; 60g carbs and somewhere around 1000cals per day.

4-5 Protein Drinks containing a minimum of 15g of protein per serving. They must be low fat and low sugar and can't contain over 4g of sugar per serving. I can have clear low sodium broths, sugar free drinks, sugar free jello and sugar free clear popsicles (no fudgsicles or ice cream based pops).

I will do this from now until February 20th.

I'm pretty sure I will be doing plenty of the following:

Edited February 4, 20188 yr by FluffyChix

Declaring victory over yesterday!

Last night we went out to dinner with sissy and BIL for his birthday. We went to a neighborhood Italian place known for their pizza and pasta dishes.

Despite being repeatedly offered wine and a slice of pizza, I had my portobello mushroom with provolone, chicken, roasted rbp, and spinach. I ate 1/3 of it and brought the rest home. I enjoyed the evening with everyone and had so much fun. And came home knowing that it's MORE than possible to have fun while eating luxuriously and healthy.

Score one for the gipper!

8 hours ago, FluffyChix said:

Declaring victory over yesterday!

Last night we went out to dinner with sissy and BIL for his birthday. We went to a neighborhood Italian place known for their pizza and Pasta dishes.

Despite being repeatedly offered wine and a slice of pizza, I had my portobello mushroom with provolone, chicken, roasted rbp, and spinach. I ate 1/3 of it and brought the rest home. I enjoyed the evening with everyone and had so much fun. And came home knowing that it's MORE than possible to have fun while eating luxuriously and healthy.

Score one for the gipper!

I'm so glad I read this shortly before leaving for a charity Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation banquet! I am generally bored to tears at this sort of event, but hubby insists I accompany him to at least one such event annually. I don't know what will be served, but am sure there will be carby sides and dessert. Send me some of your strength oh fluffy one!

Went to the grocery earlier. Picked up portabello mushroom caps stuffed with spinach and mozzarella. Not sure the protein content, but it will be a nice, low-carb lunch alternative this week. I suspect I'll only be able to eat half.

Baked pumpkin bread this morning and bought all the fixins for potato soup, including heavy cream. Am I out of my forkin' mind? Nah? One of my employees suffered a horrific family tragedy this week. We're doing a food train and tomorrow I bring lunch for her and her family. All those lovely carbs will be delivered elsewhere! But damn - I make great potato soup!

Awwww honey! You will find the strength! And find someone tonight and cut up together! Your lunch sounds yumbo!!!! And you are so sweet for cooking for your friend. Sad about the tragedy! Hey, make smashed cauliflower soup. It's so dang good and you can use your potato soup recipe to make it. It's just as satisfying to me. You can also add either Fairlife ff milk or protein powder to up the protein!

I remember when you were nervously starting this journey, and whut?? In just 4 months you’ve lost 100 lbs??? I just wanted to say congrats. Absolutely amazing. Your energy and humor have got to be part of your success.

its been 10 months for me and I’ve been losing so slowly, getting close to 60 lbs down and within 10 of original goal weight. I’m ok losing so slowly but it is amazing to see someone do so well so quickly.

And if you lose your hair like I did, I have one very fun word: extensions. I’m thin (ish) with long hair now! Enjoy your life.

46 minutes ago, GotProlactinoma said:

I remember when you were nervously starting this journey, and whut?? In just 4 months you’ve lost 100 lbs??? I just wanted to say congrats. Absolutely amazing. Your energy and humor have got to be part of your success.

its been 10 months for me and I’ve been losing so slowly, getting close to 60 lbs down and within 10 of original goal weight. I’m ok losing so slowly but it is amazing to see someone do so well so quickly.

And if you lose your hair like I did, I have one very fun word: extensions. I’m thin (ish) with long hair now! Enjoy your life.

Oh sweetie! From your lips to God's ears! LOL. It's been a tiny bit over a year to get to almost 100lbs. From surgery day I'm down 34.2lbs today. (Scale is up a bit this morning.) But gosh, in 12 months you will be down about 72lbs!!! When was the last time that happened? But I do get where you're coming from. I'm just so thankful and blessed to have been approved!!! And that angst is over. I just try not to compare my losses post surg to others cuz it can be a buzzkill fo' shizzle! And yes, laughing helps keep me sane, cuz as we all know, I'm one spring shy of a meltdown, I'm a little tightly wound and as someone just told me today, "aggressively focused" (aka possessed to reach goal). haha. I would just have to say with "friends" like that, who needs enemies. KWM? *snort*

Oh, and I SOOOO want to talk extensions with you girlie!!!!!

Edited May 12, 20188 yr by FluffyChix

Ok, so I'm very proud of myself. I got up this morning and was out at the nature reserve by 8am. And I walked all the way around the 2 lakes by myself--1.7miles in 40 minutes. I'm have no earthly idea how to do the math on that to determine how "fast" I was walking. LOL. I say that, cuz I was sweatin like a horse and was pushing myself to limit. And people were just amblin by me, passing me left and right--talking and looking at the view! *snort* But hey, I showed up and did it. And for that I'm proud regardless of how slow I am and how fast I "think" I am in my head. ROFLMFAO!

Now I'm home and about to start Sunday chores: laundry, cleaning, prepping for next week. Yeeeehawwwww! And Happy Mother's Days to all the mommies out there!!!! ((hugs)) And hope your families treat you preciously - with a worth more than pearls! Hope y'all have a blessed day.

This week I have my 6 month oncology appointment, my 6 month echo cardiogram to check on the fluid around my heart, and my 3 month f/u with my bariatric surgeon. I should be going to her support group Thursday night, but instead we're going to the ball game with friends! Baseball beats bariatric support groups any day of the week in my world.

I'm trying to put my head down and just work my program, but for the last 7 days, I've been up and down the same 2 lbs a la GHDWL. This morning I am still sitting at 187.8lbs despite no cheats or food indiscretions, and in the face of daily exercise. I have firmly raised my protein and calories be more of a 750-800 level. I'm sure that has something to do with it. But I'm also trying to raise my cals slowly so I don't give my system a jolt.

I suspect it may be the "3 month stall" some WLS peeps talk about on other boards. There's supposed to be one at 3, 6, and 9 months as well as the famous 3 week stall. My doc would neither confirm nor deny, LOL, she just said that WL isn't linear and that there will be plateaus and times when the scale won't be reflective of the dedication we put into it. LOL. Thought that was a particularly lovely way to describe a hound-from-hell-stall.

Ok, well time to go work. I've got mountains of clothes to wash!

More later.

Oh. No. She. 'idn't!

Oh, yes I did! I found an inspiration poster that is just PERFECT for my loud, aggressive, over-achieving, obsessed, ass!!!!

To the moon and back, Alice!

And may I wish for all of us to shoot for the moon, and while we're at it swing for the stars too, so that we can all claim this summit as part of our prize!

Have a blessed Sunday!

You have done it!

Dropped off all those lovely carbs this morning. I did have 2 bowls for hubby leftover, and about a half a bowl I can indulge in later so I don't feel deprived.

Went to mother's day brunch with hubby and a friend whose kids are out of town. I had just broken into the 220s yesterday, but I fear no more! (hey! the ice cream man just drove past my house and I wasn't tempted!) ok, after that random stream of consciousness... went to a local joint famed for their pan fried chicken. It is really good but usually fried chicken doesn't tempt me . But they had a chicken and waffle special and they have this blackberry butter...... So, poor choices. I ate a fresh hot roll as it takes 30 min for the chicken. Half a waffle and part of my chicken breast. And I feel Thanksgiving stuffed. Ugh! I know better!

Guess I just proved that despite what y'all believed, Miss Topaz is not perfect! except perfectly imperfect of course!

Happy mothers day to you Miss Fluffy! Proud of you for hitting that nature preserve! Once I can move again, I'll move my arse in some way (looks like rain so might be inside).

Good for you, Fluffy! Sounds like a very productive day. 8 loads of wash for me after church today. I'm counting that as exercise! I would have done it yesterday to leave mother's Day free, but we had a wedding and a college graduation, so yesterday was out, although I did go to the gym while everyone else slept.

Today I hit 100+lb loss on the scale from my most recent high of 287.4lbs. It took 1 year and 9 days to get here and although I would say my tool makes my progress the "easiest" it has been in that I am now losing the amounts like a slightly overweight "normie" loses rather than my very typical Fluffy Rate of Loss of 2-4lbs per month; this has been one of the hardest years of my life second only to losing my dad, mom, and brother, and the year of cancer treatments. Anyone who say WLS is easy doesn't know Jack (Binyon). hehe.

I still have quite a ways to go: 36lbs to my first goal of 150, then sub-goals after that of 140, 130, and 125. I don't know how far I will make it, but I'm going for the whole enchilada and I'm not planning on taking the scenic tour this time. All the other weight loss battles I've fought, I stopped short of my goal. And it's an excruciating defeat. Like Sisyphus, am I doomed to push the boulder up hill the rest of my life, over and over and over again--stopping short of my goal and establishing a livable maintenance at T-20lbs every time?

When I get into dangerous territory (aka about 20lbs from goal), something weird happens to my resolve and mindset. I grow complacent with the goal. I get to the point where I like what I see in the mirror, I feel good in my clothes, feel normal size in public, and I let the food-longings back into mah head.

So it always begins with the philosophy, "This one bite won't sink the Titanic," or "Ohhhh, this is a special night or special weekend, or celebration--I'll just let loose and take a vacation from dieting just this once." But see? Because of my Big Fat Brain, once is never enough and the treats won't stop until they become legendary and something I routinely do at each meal, every day. And in the blink of an eye--POOF! I'm a fluffy chix again and again and again and again...well, you get the picture.

It's frightening to say, "But, but, THIS time it will be different! I had RNY surgery! I have a new tool that's gonna keep that from happening." And that terrifies me. I can feel that thought trying so determinedly to sneak back into my conscious mind. The truth is that there COULD be other times. This time is not so unique. My surgeon warned us at the very first meeting that statistically, over 85% of surgical pts will regain at least 10-15% of their weight and only 5% will maintain their lowest weight at 5 years. She told us that this wasn't magic bean surgery. That the effects of RNY wear off around 5-12 years and that the micro villi in the gut actually grow more numerous and become smarter about absorption.

So the surgery came with a big caution--grow complacent and endulge at your peril.

Ok, so fast forward to today. I can only control what happens tomorrow by living well today and taking the next best bite. Each meal, my resolve is only for that meal and each day is to resolve that day to take the next best bite--always. The only way I will get to goal is to focus and not lose sight of the advantages of what that number represents in health advantages. The only way to maintain those advantages is to take the next best bite every day for the rest of my living days.

Here is my 3 month comp. It's hard to share this. (And yes, these are the last pants that will even stay up and they are so big now. LOL. I must manufacture some money and go try to find a new pair of pants that actually fit for a change. *snort*)

Edited May 14, 20188 yr by FluffyChix

Fluffy! You're losing your fluff! Lookin' good!

46 minutes ago, FluffyChix said:

So it always begins with the philosophy, "This one bite won't sink the Titanic," or "Ohhhh, this is a special night or special weekend, or celebration--I'll just let loose and take a vacation from dieting just this once." But see? Because of my Big Fat Brain, once is never enough and the treats won't stop until they become legendary and something I routinely do at each meal, every day. And in the blink of an eye--POOF! I'm a fluffy chix again and again and again and again...well, you get the picture.

This is me exactly! Good luck to us both!

Woohoo! Great job!

Thank you for sharing today. I needed a teminder because my brain is messing with me. Im suppose to naintaun my weight loss until my appt with the surgeon at the end if June. So up and down 3-4 pounds. And im frustrated.

17 minutes ago, clsumrall said:

Thank you for sharing today. I needed a teminder because my brain is messing with me. Im suppose to naintaun my weight loss until my appt with the surgeon at the end if June. So up and down 3-4 pounds. And im frustrated.

Oh the up and down and the maintaining! Holy crap--it's hard, so hard!! And yes, it totally screws with your head. It makes me very nervous to think about it lol. So I won't. Fiddle dee dee, I'll think about that tomorrah! LOL. Just call me Scarlett.

Keep hangin in there girlie! The end of June sounds so far away!!! But it will get here quickly!

Woot! 100#s is freaking amazing!!! I will be here cheering you all the way down to 125, @FluffyChix, I know you can do it!