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I went home to America for Thanksgiving for the first time in 20 years! I was really nervous about going back, but I actually had a really good time!

Thanksgiving went really well! My stepmother had the sleeve two years ago and I told her I had the sleeve recently so she just dished me up a plate that was about the portion size she eats now so I didn't have to do any guess work with new foods! She even made a sugar free desert for the two of us! I had about a bite of everything and that was enough!

I even managed to lose 2.5kg (5.5lbs) during the 8 days I was there. I think what helped the most is I was staying with my sister who has two girls who are 6 and 3 so she just dished me up the same amount that she did for her kids so I was never tempted to over eat. Child size plates have been really helpful!

I went to my favourite stores for the nostalgia. I bought a hoodie which is a size MEDIUM and it fits! Eventually it will be as baggy as my current ones, but it feels really good to wear a medium!

I was really worried about what this food centred holiday was going to do to me, but it went really well.

I'm seriously considering moving back to Montana permanently, but that's a topic for another day.

Edited by NeonRaven8919

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I am so happy for you. Going home is always emotional, I really understand why you were so very worried. Congratulations on the huge weight drop. NOW lets get through Christmas !

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Christmas should be easier because I will be two months post op and I've been getting better at adjusting to my new eating requirements. Also, I'm not really a drinker so I will be able to say no to all the drinks which will happen

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That is great, good for you. Maybe you should have bought a size small hoodie as well, you'll no doubt need it soon.

If you haven't already done so at home maybe buy smaller bowls and plates. That is what I did, some at home and a set at the office and I use for my meals, what was called an appetiser set - plate 15*15cm and bowl 10*10cm. I use a regular sized side plate sometimes but rarely and using the smaller ones makes Portion Control easy.

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45 minutes ago, FifiLux said:

That is great, good for you. Maybe you should have bought a size small hoodie as well, you'll no doubt need it soon.

If you haven't already done so at home maybe buy smaller bowls and plates. That is what I did, some at home and a set at the office and I use for my meals, what was called an appetiser set - plate 15*15cm and bowl 10*10cm. I use a regular sized side plate sometimes but rarely and using the smaller ones makes Portion Control easy.

It was a Black Friday sale and they only had the medium, but I will start buying new clothes soon. Most of my work outfits are too big.

I do have some small plates, but I've only just started eating solids when I was in America so I've only used small bowls. Now that I can eat more, I'm going to start meal prepping again instead of just heating up cans of Soup.

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whoop whoop what a great win!

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17 hours ago, NeonRaven8919 said:

My stepmother had the sleeve two years ago and I told her I had the sleeve recently so she just dished me up a plate that was about the portion size she eats now so I didn't have to do any guess work with new foods! She even made a sugar free desert for the two of us! I had about a bite of everything and that was enough!

I even managed to lose 2.5kg (5.5lbs) during the 8 days I was there. I think what helped the most is I was staying with my sister who has two girls who are 6 and 3 so she just dished me up the same amount that she did for her kids so I was never tempted to over eat. Child size plates have been really helpful!

i HEART your stepmother and sister!!!

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7 hours ago, ms.sss said:

i HEART your stepmother and sister!!!

Yes I got a lot more support than I expected. I knew they would be helpful, but this was really great.

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Congrats on the hoodie.

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Sounds like it went as well as it possibly could have. And losing weight over Thanksgiving - only WLS can achieve that surely! Nice work - I know you were wary before you went.

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I am so thrilled for you. Maybe next year you can go back and look for a similar hoodie in a small.

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    • LeighaTR

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    • Doughgurl

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      1. Selina333

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
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      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
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