November 2023 buddies

[ChunkCat 687]

19 hours ago, Char V said:

Spoke with the Dr this morning and he said I can try soft soft diet. So I got off the phone and went straight for the scrambled eggs( haven’t been able to stomach them in the last 17 months) oh they were a delight and how I missed them.

I am SO excited you were able to eat eggs!!! How is it going? We're you able to keep them down?

[Andrea RN 6]

Every change is exciting!

[ChunkCat 687]

How is everyone doing now?? I'll be officially 12 weeks out tomorrow! I'll post my stats then and update you guys. I can't believe we are all getting to the 3 month mark...

[Meisha 14]

15 hours ago, ChunkCat said:

How is everyone doing now?? I'll be officially 12 weeks out tomorrow! I'll post my stats then and update you guys. I can't believe we are all getting to the 3 month mark...

I was trying to find this page on the forum yesterday to do a check in, but work got in the way. Thankful for my job, but also ready to retire. 🤣

It’s nice getting closer to “normal”. I still forget sometimes that I’ve had surgery and have to stop myself before ordering a Coke Zero or drinking out of a straw. Otherwise, 57 days out and I’m doing well! I feel great!

Can’t wait to hear how everyone else is doing!

[SomeBigGuy 105]

21 hours ago, ChunkCat said:

How is everyone doing now?? I'll be officially 12 weeks out tomorrow! I'll post my stats then and update you guys. I can't believe we are all getting to the 3 month mark...

I just hit 9 weeks from surgery this week, and the 60 lb lost mark since starting the Pre-Op diet (11 weeks total). I'm finally off all of my diabetes and blood pressure meds, and my non-exertion-related dizzy spells have subsided, so I'm feeling good there. Fewer random aches and pains in my legs and back!

However, after getting Covid over the holidays (5 weeks post op), I'm still feeling pretty tired and weak due to pre-existing issues with my lungs. I actually felt great the week before getting covid, and was getting around 5 miles of walking in per day and was getting more energy. After fighting it off for two weeks, I feel about as weak as I did about 5 days after surgery, even today. 1 mile of walking and I have to sit down for about a half hour. The only time I get dizzy is if I lift more than about 15-20 lbs.

I'm working with my doctor on it, and it sounds like I may be stuck with long Covid for several months, but should eventually shake it. However, had I not had the surgery, I think I would've been way sicker had I caught it at my heaviest weight. My doctor said I would've probably had to spend a significant time in the hospital had I not had the surgery.

No regrets at all! Just trying to focus on the baby steps and smaller incremental progress. Hope you all are doing well too!

[Andrea RN 6]

My surgery was 11/30, so I am about 8 weeks post op. I’ve lost 31 pounds and hit a stall. But dietician assured me to just stick with the plan and the weight loss will restart. Protein and Water goals are all I can think about lol

[brandycsiz 38]

My sugery was 11/29.. as of this morning I am 32lbs down.. I started back into the gym on Monday, 8 weeks post op. I have not really had a weight stall yet, I am noticing that my Hair loss has picked up so I am getting it cut on Tuesday. I am off all my food restrictions so I am excited about trying out all kinds of food. Going clothes shopping this weekend to pick up a few things as my clothes are falling off me.. This has been a fun, stressful and frustrating journey but I am here for it...

[Italiano26 26]

I am 10 weeks out and feeling well! I started back on one cup of coffee a day and I am using a straw a few times a week 🤦‍♀️ I only weigh in once a month so not sure exactly how much I have lost but my clothes are falling off! Glad everyone is doing well!

[Char V 52]

On 1/16/2024 at 5:06 AM, ChunkCat said:

I am SO excited you were able to eat eggs!!! How is it going? We're you able to keep them down?

Thanks Cat. they were so yummy. I had them again a few days later but they didn’t sit right.

I am almost at the 3 month mark. I will do measurements in a few days.
I have to eat even smaller amounts then a normal sleeve patient and chew 1000 times. Almost like mush in my mouth before it goes down.
this is odd: The dietician has told me to chew the steak and then spit it out. This way I can get the taste and not the blockage. That has worked for at home meals. I am enjoying creating and cooking again.
I have been busy with work(own business, work from home) but I have been staying 200km away from home 2 days a week as I have stuff on. Mostly immediate family stuff. That has interfered with my eating and drinking routine. I don’t feel happy/excited to eat out in public. Being judged for what and how much I eat. A friend complained I was wasting food.

im looking forward to everyone’s achievements on our 3 month mark.

[ChunkCat 687]

Okay, so keep in mind I took these photos straight out of bed because I was rather cranky about taking them at all. LOL But I'm glad I've kept up with it!! The grey one is pre-op to 3 months post op, the green top is 1 month post op to 3 months post op! I love you guys but I am not posting my underwear photos. 😂

[ChunkCat 687]

And here are my stats! I cannot believe I am 1/3 of the way towards my goal and that I've lost 76.5 inches from all over my body!! I definitely feel it!

Edited February 4 by ChunkCat

[ChunkCat 687]

On 1/29/2024 at 4:29 AM, Char V said:

I have been busy with work(own business, work from home) but I have been staying 200km away from home 2 days a week as I have stuff on. Mostly immediate family stuff. That has interfered with my eating and drinking routine. I don’t feel happy/excited to eat out in public. Being judged for what and how much I eat. A friend complained I was wasting food.

Does this friend know about your stomach surgeries?? If so, I would have looked at them like they had lost their mind. And I would have told them if they ever voice their judgment about my eating habits again they'll lose the pleasure of sharing a meal with me. Yes, I can be a b***h. LOL But I grew up in a family of people with BAD boundaries. And this is a bad boundaries behavior. Our society is so preoccupied with weight loss and shaming fat people, then when we do something to change our bodies they judge us for that too. We can never get it right. I've decided people are going to judge me no matter what I do. So I do what I want. But I don't have to listen to their opinions of me!!

My partner loves eating out in restaurants so I've had to adjust to that post surgery. But in general I'm doing fine with it. Most people in the restaurant never notice how much I eat. I don't get weird looks. The wait staff doesn't comment. The only odd response I got was a confused waitress when I said I wanted my Thai curry without any rice--I can't eat it, so why waste it?? The sweet owner at our favorite pho place puts veggies in my pho now because I can't have the noodles! That made my heart happy... But part of the reason I don't get any odd looks I think is because I eat relatively slowly, put my utensils down between bites, and generally take as long to eat my small portion as it takes my partner to eat their normal portion! Then we take home lots of leftovers, which is convenient considering I eat 5-6 times a day! LOL

I'm sorry your friend opened their big mouth and said something stupid. I know you have struggled SO much with being able to eat, you would think they'd be celebrating the fact that you could eat ANYTHING at this point!! The best weight I have ever lost in my life has been the weight of other people's opinions, and sometimes, the weight of other people period! 😂

[Char V 52]

4 hours ago, ChunkCat said:

Does this friend know about your stomach surgeries??

Yeah they do. They know what I’ve been through physically and mentally. But we have estranged a little only eating out every 3 months with them. They struggle to have cash to go out, so she hates waste I feel bad about wasting money. Even if I get a doggy bag. Generally hubby eats what’s left. I feel guilty about that too as he has weight issues(105kg) and is diabetic. His parents grew up on disability and money was always tight and he is old school about eating everything on your plate. I generally order an entree or alter the main meal and ask for it with the entree’s. That way I eat over the hour or so we are out and normally I just have Water which I hardly touch. Or if I’m with my 12yr old we share a meal together. I normally have a drink before leaving home. And again when I get home.
my eating does suck At the moment again. As mentioned I’ve been away from home a lot. I eat 1-2 times a day. Everything is mainly liquid now. Much easier to make up and keep in an insulated container and just sip away.

Eating out: it’s a nice way for you to buy new clothes and show them off.
your photos look so good. I’ll have to find mine. (But most are in my underwear or nothing and I’m not posting either of them.)

I do have a photo where I’m in my pjs and I just show my belly and war wounds.
I have lost a few cms everywhere since surgery #4.(Nov2nd)

the surgeon told me repeatedly I would only loose 5kms this time. But things have been better.
I see him on the 15th Feb for my month follow up since my issues. some have been resolved.
I sprained my ankle walking. Which on ultrasound has shown I tore my perineal in my right foot and am only allowed to walk 10mins a day. So now I lug around a moonboot. This becoming a new person is pushing my boundaries.
I'm away from home for 4 weeks straight (2 in our capital city, 1 in Sydney and then another week in capital city) so this will test my eating. I’m determined to not fall into bad habits. Just don’t know how much of a routine I can follow.
my measurements and pics below

the pics are in order.
before op one

op two

op 4

today 4th Feb

[ChunkCat 687]

Wow, you look great @Char V!! You have obviously exceeded his expectations of your weight loss!!

Yeah, I grew up pretty poor and finishing the food on my plate was a huge thing. My parents were excellent at food guilt and money guilt. But I've put a lot of hard work into letting that go because it just wasn't a healthy mindset for me... My fridge is full of leftovers like most bariatric patients, and we actually eat most of the leftovers (my partner too has weight issues and is diabetic). I try to order things that can be leftover and still taste decent. But every once in a while I set that aside and just get what I want, even if it won't be finished. My mindful eating coach challenged me to do that to teach myself that eating more than what I need is just as much a waste as throwing it in the trash... None of us can avoid food waste. It is fine to try and mitigate it as best we can while at home, if that is what our values dictate. But when eating out I need to sometimes practice leaving food on my plate and being okay with that... It was hard, but I'm working on it!! Still, I would be unpleasant if someone opted to point out my "wastefulness". 😂

Traveling all around AU working is definitely stressful on the body AND the diet! I recently opted not to go on a business trip with my partner because I didn't want to deal with attempting to eat for a week out of my hotel room without a fridge. Even I have limits regarding food wastage. LOL If we were driving there and I had a fridge it would be different, when we travelled for the holidays when I was 2 months out I was fine. I got a lunchbox that fit a fair number of shakes and Protein Snacks, cheese and such, and made sure to carry protein snacks wherever I went. But this gets considerably harder if you are flying around to places...so I decided to stay home with the cats. LOL Are you flying to various places or driving?? Sydney is such a lovely city, I really enjoyed my week there. Though it wouldn't be as much fun in a moonboot!!

[BoilerBob 51]

Thanks for sharing everyone. I actually just got back from a cruise. I definitely adjusted my diet and didn’t go crazy but I also enjoyed the food I did eat. I actually intentionally exercised several mornings and ended up losing a few pounds over the week. I’m down about 14 inches in pants size and about 50 pounds from surgery.