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

On 7/25/2020 at 11:42 AM, sillykitty said:

Are cooking strikes contagious? Cause I may have caught it from you .....

My husband asked me what was for dinner yesterday. I simply looked at him and said, “Why are you asking me?”

He picked up the phone and ordered dinner. I’m SO sick of cooking.

13 hours ago, Cheeseburgh said:

My husband asked me what was for dinner yesterday. I simply looked at him and said, “Why are you asking me?”

He picked up the phone and ordered dinner. I’m SO sick of cooking.

ME, too! Time to break out those scented candles, I say. She ain't cookin' nuthin - Mr. Cheeseburgh!

Banana and coffee granola on caramel protein pudding.

5 minutes ago, summerset said:

banana and coffee granola on caramel Protein pudding.

omg that looks good!!

Thanks! Trying to get some fun & helpful new threads going

VSG2017 HW 249 SW 238 CW 167

This explains why u have kept the weight off so long! Thats absolutely awesome!!! I am having vsg in august. How do u make sure to keep this way even after a year post op? How did it take u to lose your weight?

22 minutes ago, anniedebbie said:

This explains why u have kept the weight off so long! Thats absolutely awesome!!! I am having vsg in august. How do u make sure to keep this way even after a year post op? How did it take u to lose your weight?

No top secret tips from me, just consistency over perfection (Balance)

Help me out @Sophie7713 @ms.sss @sillykitty @Cheeseburgh @summerset @MarvelGirl25 @catwoman7

21 minutes ago, GreenTealael said:

No top secret tips from me, just consistency over perfection (Balance)

Help me out @Sophie7713 @ms.sss @sillykitty @Cheeseburgh @summerset @MarvelGirl25 @catwoman7

Well, to put it simply, I just try to do what I did during weight loss phase, just at a higher calorie and macro count. Similar to what @GreenTealael said, I’m not always perfect, but generally stay the course for the most part. If I notice things heading in an undesired direction, I’ll adjust.

48 minutes ago, GreenTealael said:

No top secret tips from me, just consistency over perfection (Balance)

Help me out @Sophie7713 @ms.sss @sillykitty @Cheeseburgh @summerset @MarvelGirl25 @catwoman7

the first two years weren't that hard, to be honest. I just stuck to my plan and tried to exercise regularly. I wasn't a gym rat, but I'd do SOMETHING three or four days a week, even if it was just walking. I wouldn't say it didn't take effort, because it certainly did, but if I stayed committed and didn't stray very often, the weight would come off and stay off.

Year three and beyond got a LOT harder. I gained 12 lbs (which actually I probably needed to - my lowest weight was too low for me), but then it became a constant battle to maintain my new weight. If I stop paying attention for more than a couple of days, my weight starts to go up again. I still weigh myself several times a week and track my food - and weigh/measure when I'm not 100% sure how much I'm eating of something. I also set "oh crap" weight levels for myself (which unfortunately I've adjusted up a bit the last couple of years), and when I hit that, it's all hands on deck to get my weight safely back down into an acceptable range again. That worked for a long time, but then I went to India for a month last fall. I didn't have a scale and I ate more than I would if I were at home, but I did NOT eat like a pig. I ate about what a normal person would. And I came back eight lbs heavier. It's been hell taking that off. I've lost 3-4 pounds of it (depending on the day). I used to roll my eyes at these "normies" who'd whine and complain about how hard it was to lose five or ten lbs, but now I totally get it. It is TOUGH.

so my advice is 1) follow your plan until you get to your goal 2) once you're there, do whatever you can to avoid gaining weight. A 10-20 lb bounce back after hitting bottom is VERY common, so some of us try to get a little UNDER our goal to account for that. But once you're at what you want to be your final weight, do whatever you can to avoid gaining weight. People do lose regain, but it is TOUGH, especially if you're within a normal BMI range or within 10 or 20 lbs of it.

1 hour ago, GreenTealael said:

No top secret tips from me, just consistency over perfection (Balance)

Help me out @Sophie7713 @ms.sss @sillykitty @Cheeseburgh @summerset @MarvelGirl25 @catwoman7

Write down everything you eat, find healthier alternatives to things you enjoy. I eat a lot of tacos that are super filling and low calorie. I love “nice” cream and I make homemade pizza to stay sane. I also keep very busy. I’m very consistent and have kept this weight (123-126) for about a year. My 2 year anniversary is next month.

No top secret tips from me, just consistency over perfection (Balance)
Help me out [mention=356130]Sophie7713[/mention] [mention=352077]ms.sss[/mention] [mention=333899]sillykitty[/mention] [mention=360178]Cheeseburgh[/mention] [mention=270931]summerset[/mention] [mention=355309]MarvelGirl25[/mention] [mention=257598]catwoman7[/mention]

Thank you for that! Keep it simple is what i need to remember

Write down everything you eat, find healthier alternatives to things you enjoy. I eat a lot of tacos that are super filling and low calorie. I love “nice” cream and I make homemade pizza to stay sane. I also keep very busy. I’m very consistent and have kept this weight (123-126) for about a year. My 2 year anniversary is next month.

Wowwwww this is so awesome and practical!!!!!! Thank you so much for these tips , its reassuring

Write down everything you eat, find healthier alternatives to things you enjoy. I eat a lot of tacos that are super filling and low calorie. I love “nice” cream and I make homemade pizza to stay sane. I also keep very busy. I’m very consistent and have kept this weight (123-126) for about a year. My 2 year anniversary is next month.

And congratulations on year 2 post op!!! Well done[emoji173]

Write down everything you eat, find healthier alternatives to things you enjoy. I eat a lot of tacos that are super filling and low calorie. I love “nice” cream and I make homemade pizza to stay sane. I also keep very busy. I’m very consistent and have kept this weight (123-126) for about a year. My 2 year anniversary is next month.

the first two years weren't that hard, to be honest. I just stuck to my plan and tried to exercise regularly. I wasn't a gym rat, but I'd do SOMETHING three or four days a week, even if it was just walking. I wouldn't say it didn't take effort, because it certainly did, but if I stayed committed and didn't stray very often, the weight would come off and stay off.
Year three and beyond got a LOT harder. I gained 12 lbs (which actually I probably needed to - my lowest weight was too low for me), but then it became a constant battle to maintain my new weight. If I stop paying attention for more than a couple of days, my weight starts to go up again. I still weigh myself several times a week and track my food - and weigh/measure when I'm not 100% sure how much I'm eating of something. I also set "oh crap" weight levels for myself (which unfortunately I've adjusted up a bit the last couple of years), and when I hit that, it's all hands on deck to get my weight safely back down into an acceptable range again. That worked for a long time, but then I went to India for a month last fall. I didn't have a scale and I ate more than I would if I were at home, but I did NOT eat like a pig. I ate about what a normal person would. And I came back eight lbs heavier. It's been hell taking that off. I've lost 3-4 pounds of it (depending on the day). I used to roll my eyes at these "normies" who'd whine and complain about how hard it was to lose five or ten lbs, but now I totally get it. It is TOUGH.
so my advice is 1) follow your plan until you get to your goal 2) once you're there, do whatever you can to avoid gaining weight. A 10-20 lb bounce back after hitting bottom is VERY common, so some of us try to get a little UNDER our goal to account for that. But once you're at what you want to be your final weight, do whatever you can to avoid gaining weight. People do lose regain, but it is TOUGH, especially if you're within a normal BMI range or within 10 or 20 lbs of it.

Wowwwwwwwwwww this was exactly what I needed to hear! Congratulations on your success even with the slight weight gain, u still managed to stay on top of things. I definitely will do these things and try to stay where I want to be weight wise. My goal is to lose 120lbs being that I'm hoping my start weight will be 260 or 250 , starting my diet next week . But , every thing u said is so helpful and informative! Thank you!!!!! I have to just stick to the plan and try to not go astray, and if i do quickly try to bounce back before weight gain. Omg I'm excited, its definitely easier said than done[emoji28][emoji28] but im hopeful. [emoji175][emoji175]

8 hours ago, GreenTealael said:

No top secret tips from me, just consistency over perfection (Balance)

Help me out

I don't really have a secret as well, I guess. With people around me wanting to lose weight or wanting to prevent weight gain, they sometimes ask the people around them about "their secret" (including me, even the ones who know about surgery, which strikes me quite odd).

Most seem to answer with "moderation" and I see them eating salads and lots of vegetables but also sweets and pastries or French Fries etc. as well. Two petite women come to my mind when I think about this and one of the male colleagues in his 50s. You never know if they're struggling inside but they don't give the impression of doing so. At least there seems to be this interesting difference between them and the colleagues who e. g. are into the new weight watchers program. It appears... more relaxed. I can't pinpoint it, it's just some kind of vibe I get.

Anyway, when I mulled this whole stuff over I came up with some "big three" so to say. Two might be seen as guidelines or rules, one is just the way things are (the secret??).

1) Whatever you plan to change - ask yourself if you're willing to change it forever.

Going to the gym regularly five days a week for two hours straight might sound like a good plan for now but is it sustainable for you when considering the rhythm of your life?

2) Overall lifestyle and personality.

How high is your NEAT?

Are you a fidgeter and not able to sit still? How physically demanding is your job? Do you e. g. bike to work and like it? Walk to the grocery store, even if it's only because it's too much of a hassle to inch your car out of the underground garage, through traffic, the store's parking lot, go back through traffic and inching it back into your parking space at home to get a few bread rolls? Do you take the stairs just because when you see the elevator is on the 10th floor you roll your eyes because you know that it will take ages to come down and it gets on your nerves simply thinking about waiting for it only to find it crammed with people and damn thing holding at every damn floor on your way up? Are you a more nervous person that tends to move more, exercise more to calm yourself down and have e. g. better quality of sleep?

3) Only eat foods you like.

Don't eat anything you don't like just because it has little calories. Nothing wrong with experimenting and if you find a substitute for a higher calorie food you really like and don't feel deprived eating it instead of the original stuff - go for it because why not? I buy new products or try new recipes as well. If it tastes good, is not much of a hassle to prepare and don't need to spend a fortune on one portion of it I'm going to buy/cook it again. If I don't like the product, no matter how little calories or how healthy it might be, I won't buy/cook it again. I might not throw it into the trash bin (depends on how awful I think it tastes) but I definitely won't have it again.

Not eating foods you like and substituting them with foods you think taste awful will leave you feeling deprived. Diet fatigue won't be far away then.

15 hours ago, GreenTealael said:

No top secret tips from me, just consistency over perfection (Balance)

Help me out @Sophie7713 @ms.sss @sillykitty @Cheeseburgh @summerset @MarvelGirl25 @catwoman7

I agree, no top secret tips here

I think the key is to find a sustainable plan that will work for you long term.

What works for me (but may not work for anyone else)

• Logging everything I eat and drink everyday. So I know the approximate calories that I lose, maintain or gain at.
• Weigh myself on a regular basis. I have weight red line. If I go over that for more then a few days I know I need to make adjustments to my diet to bring my weight back down
• If I want to lose a little then I can do intermittent fasting which I might combine with calorie restriction.

I think it is also important to be aware of what will not work for you long term. I know that I will never maintain a rigorous work out schedule. I am also very susceptible to diet fatigue and will rebel if I feel deprived. So I know that moderation works for me, and not restrictive diets like keto etc..