Like weight loss before and after photos but of your new diet !

I'm especially interested in before and after meal photos (take a pic at the point you feel restriction) but it can be of recipe substitutions, your refrigerator/pantry/shopping cart/etc

VSG2017 HW 249 SW 238 CW 167

1 hour ago, JAKE H said:

At 2+ years out maybe 1/4 of this if I am a really hungry and push it. It has hard raw vegetables and no dressing so it take more work to eat. I prefer salads this way.

What actually ate was *maybe* 1/8th of it (most of the chicken, a few cucumbers and a dew forkfuls of greens) because I had 2 bread sticks as an appetizer beforehand. It looked mostly untouched when I boxed it to go.

Edited February 24, 20206 yr by GreenTealael

Lol! None of it! I still cannot handle the food chucks or digest raw veggies. I average 3-4 oz per meal. Thanks for sharing the picture since you are further out than I am. One of my fears has been that I will return to large plates of food. Glad to know I am not alone.

Congratulations on your success!! Your weight loss is inspiring.

11 hours ago, GreenTealael said:

salad ... then Halotop (which is now too sweet for my palate)

46 minutes ago, GreenTealael said:

At 2+ years out maybe 1/4 of this if I am a really hungry

...a 1/4 when you are hungry?

I could prolly eat that entire thing on a regular, "no-meh-to-food" day. It might take me an hour or so, but I could probably do it. Lots of room in my tum for salad...its that chicken that would take some work...

P.S. It looks soooooo delicious

Edited February 24, 20206 yr by ms.sss

15 minutes ago, GreenTealael said:

At 2+ years out maybe 1/4 of this if I am a really hungry push it. It has hard raw vegetables and no dressing so it take more work to eat. I prefer salads this way.

What actually ate was *maybe* 1/8th of it (most of the chicken, a few cucumbers and a dew forkfuls of greens) because I had 2 bread sticks as an appetizer beforehand. It looked mostly untouched when I boxed it to go.

ok that makes sense! im only 7+ months and i want to say i ate about a qtr of your size salad. But it was all i ate so i guess thats about right. i enjoy salad so much.

29 minutes ago, ms.sss said:

...a quarter 1/4 when you are hungry?

I could prolly eat that entire thing on a regular, "no-meh-to-food" day. It might take me an hour or so, but I could probably do it. Lots of room in my tum for salad...its that chicken that would take some work...

P.S. It looks soooooo delicious

This salad is pretty big. I should have put my hand next to it for reference. I has no dressings so I guess it makes the salad crisper more fibrous? I could eat 1+ cup of tender cooked vegetables on top of whatever else I'm eating or 1/2 cup of blanched vegetables

Oh and I almost never eat for longer than 20-30 mins. Too boring ?

37 minutes ago, JAKE H said:

ok that makes sense! im only 7+ months and i want to say i ate about a qtr of your size salad. But it was all i ate so i guess thats about right. i enjoy salad so much.

I ❤ salad because its like free points/lives/calories

I often eat a salad followed by desert/pastries ?

Edited February 24, 20206 yr by GreenTealael

12 minutes ago, GreenTealael said:

Oh and I almost never eat for longer than 20-30 mins. Too boring ?

Ok, I guess if I stopped eating after 20 minutes, I would totally be eating ALOT less. Though if I did, I would probably get back into weight loss mode. Am used to taking forever to eat - don't even care if my food is cold anymore.

...and I'm with you about the desserts, LOL

Edited February 24, 20206 yr by ms.sss

2 minutes ago, ms.sss said:

Ok, I guess if I stopped eating after 20 minutes, I would totally be eating ALOT less. Though if I did, I would probably get back into weight loss mode. Am used to taking forever to eat - don't even care if my food is cold anymore.

I legit only eat blazing hot food or slightly chilled salads- any other way and I'm not interested anymore. My BF says I eat at molten lava temps ?

7 minutes ago, GreenTealael said:

I ❤ salad because its like free points/lives/calories

I often eat a salad followed by desert/pastries ?

Im looking forward to being at that point! im one pound away from "goal weight," so im trying to get there right now and be good. even tho this weekend i definitely ate things i normally dont.

But this actually brings up something i wanted to ask you savy vets. At what point does the obsession stop. Or does it not. And maybe its good now that i obsess about everything i eat and wanting to know its nutritional facts. But something was said to me last night at our team dinner that stuck me. "Jake youre not the same person when we are out to eat. You get quiet and look worried." I sat back and thought about it. Hes absolutely right. And he wasnt saying it being rude. Actually everyone on my team is very supportive. They know 386 pound jake. i was on the same team last year. But at meals i think im stressing so much about what im eating that im not focusing on my environment and the people. My ex actually brought this up once too. So, at somepoint do you kind of let go of the things because it just becomes a habit and eating well isnt a task anymore? Im not sure if this makes sense or not.

36 minutes ago, JAKE H said:

Im looking forward to being at that point! im one pound away from "goal weight," so im trying to get there right now and be good. even tho this weekend i definitely ate things i normally dont.

But this actually brings up something i wanted to ask you savy vets. At what point does the obsession stop. Or does it not. And maybe its good now that i obsess about everything i eat and wanting to know its nutritional facts. But something was said to me last night at our team dinner that stuck me. "Jake youre not the same person when we are out to eat. You get quiet and look worried." I sat back and thought about it. Hes absolutely right. And he wasnt saying it being rude. Actually everyone on my team is very supportive. They know 386 pound jake. i was on the same team last year. But at meals i think im stressing so much about what im eating that im not focusing on my environment and the people. My ex actually brought this up once too. So, at somepoint do you kind of let go of the things because it just becomes a habit and eating well isnt a task anymore? Im not sure if this makes sense or not.

I will preface this by saying i do not have any food issues/addiction (my Team knew this) so my path may be a little different.

I stop stressing about food a LONG time ago. I did track during weight loss phase but not I can estimate.

I think my pivotal point was when my team gave me the greenlight to eat whatever I wanted on holiday in Europe. I was 4 months post op and convinced I shouldn't/couldn't eat certain thing because having the surgery meant a stringent lifestyle. But they told me to go for it, eat what I want within reason.

So I ate all the pizza, gelato, crossaints & pastries I wanted. After a few days I began to visit markets in search of yogurts, cheese, fish etc. Still occasionally mixing in the decadent foods. When I returned home nearly a month later I got was back to business.

I truly believe if I had deprived myself during that time i would not have ever found a balance that works for me. I know exactly what I'm willing and unwilling to eat when i go to a restaurant. I'm on autopilot. Mostly I choose a protein forward meal, vegetables/salad and a desert with the least sugar/cals.

I often make substitutions because its the permanent lifestyle I chose (sugar free/lower carb/lower cal) but I don't always eat in weight loss mode because I don't want to lose anymore weight.

Edited February 24, 20206 yr by GreenTealael

41 minutes ago, GreenTealael said:

I legit only eat blazing hot food or slightly chilled salads- any other way and I'm not interested anymore. My BF says I eat at molten lava temps ?

Yes! Me too! My food has to be extremely hot or I won’t eat it... boiling hot lol

7 minutes ago, GreenTealael said:

My ex actually brought this up once too. 

Was a relationship you started after having WLS?

6 minutes ago, GreenTealael said:

Was a relationship you started after having WLS?

Regarding your first post, that makes a lot of sense. And on this trip i actually had pizza for my first time and chicken quesadilla. I sat there wondering if i should feel guilty or not. At first i did...and then this morning i got on the scale and was still down a pound, and if im truly being honest with everyone, it for some reason brought a tear to my eye and i got hit with a wave of emotion. Almost like a weight was lifted off my shoulders that im ok and im doing very well.

and yes, we started dating after wls but i knew her a long time. The food thing was a issue once in a while. I wish we would have waiting but everything happens for a reason.

4 minutes ago, JAKE H said:

Regarding your first post, that makes a lot of sense. And on this trip i actually had pizza for my first time and chicken quesadilla. I sat there wondering if i should feel guilty or not. At first i did...and then this morning i got on the scale and was still down a pound, and if im truly being honest with everyone, it for some reason brought a tear to my eye and i got hit with a wave of emotion. Almost like a weight was lifted off my shoulders that im ok and im doing very well.

and yes, we started dating after wls but i knew her a long time. The food thing was a issue once in a while. I wish we would have waiting but everything happens for a reason.

Those little burdens lifted are golden, I promise ?

I guess I was wondering if all of the changes from WLS were a stressor. But sorry it didn't work out ❤ however I'm certain you'll have plenty of options ?

What is everyone's "staple food"?

I always have on hand beef jerky, and I that is my go-to. In my bags, at work, my car - you name it. What does everyone else "snack" on throughout the day?