Groundhog Hunting WLS Thread - February 2013

[chewiegand]

Originally Posted by Krissy66

Yep, we are killed here in the Boston area. 20 foot snow piles, drifts, now with some melting and re-freezing.

My poor greyhound, Lola looked like Bambi on the ice this morning.

I went to my brother's house a couple of weeks ago, he had some leftover Nutrisystem prepackaged crap in his house he gave me

Seemed like a decent enough idea at the time--small meals, yada yada

OMG those things are GROSS!!!!

I have no idea how people have lived on those meals. I would honestly rather eat baby food in jars than that stuff. Or at least, eat Lean Cuisines or Weight Watcher meals. At least those taste somewhat decent.

Is Lola a rescue greyhound? I rescued a male racer in 1998, we had to teach
him everything---to go up and down stairs, to go outside to do potty, all kinds of normal "dog" stuff. I was pregnant with my younger ds and we kept Rexie for as long as we could but he got to be unmanageable with a new baby in our house. We even went to a pet psychic!!!! Ended up giving him back to the rescue people--per our contract.

[myyellowstang]

Originally Posted by Chrissykin

I bought new pants tonight for work....size 12 I have never been a size 12 in my adult life. These pants run true to size so I know they really are a 12. I was 169 this morning, eight pounds from my surgeons goal. I think I am going to go to 155 and call it but I will see, I may change my mind. I am one bmi point away from normal range. Somepeople at work are calling me tiny i never get tired of hearing it. I am tall and I love how long my legs are looking. I my sleeve so much.

Originally Posted by awlass

I weighed in at 249.8 today!!!!

Congrats to both of you! AWESOME!

Originally Posted by Hot Tamale

I stil have trouble getting my head around what I weigh and what size I am.

I recently had bloodwork done, and I was a tad under where I should be, soI will keep drinking them.

Someone asked me the other day, "When will you eat regular food again?" I was perplexed.

Yes! Clothes look sooooo tiny on the hangers but so huge on my @$$! Why is that? I still have mental reconciliation issues too.

You may be one of us lucky few that have a higher protein need. Especially lately with all the healing you've had to do and the increase back to exercising more. I know I've mentioned I need 150 grams minimum to stay in the right range.

I'm laughing. If regular food means Snickers, pizza and McDonald's then no thanks! I eat chicken breasts. I eat raw spinach. I eat beans. I eat yogurt. What's not real about that? And yes, sometimes I even eat tortilla chips. Real or not real? People don't understand - what we eat is a realistic portion for a normal sized person (eventually lol - not for the first year or so!). Unrealistic portions is what supersized us in the first place.

Originally Posted by Jesse

I may be a heretic, but I don't restrict my carbs much if I feel like the food has a worthwhile nutrition.

If you know that even a bit of sugar will derail you, beware, but for me the Chobani are filling, satisfying and don't create cravings.

I don't restrict them either, even if there's no nutritional value. Not anymore. Of course I don't go crazy with them and I always get my protein counts in. I can afford the calories they give me AND I can control myself with them.

Sugar however, I'm one of those that CANNOT eat sugar. I've been sugar free for almost 3 years now, and we're talking even condiments and everything. It sets up a horrible craving cycle and I have to abstain. I don't want or need it now, but before I couldn't live without it for even 15 minutes.

[Healthy and Happy]

suscribe

[myyellowstang]

Well, I've been MIA for a while. Here's why...




Daughter and I are sore and a little banged up, but still kicking it. The car however is not that great. Playing the waiting game with the insurance now to see if we fix it or I go shopping. That's a 6ft ditch it's sitting in, that's what saved us from rolling more than we did and hitting some big trees!

I've also got some pretty significant epicondylitis in my right elbow, finally had to seek out a ortho doc today and work and get a steroid injection and a medrol dose pack. It's to where I can't even push the home button on my iphone without pain.

I'm still working on trying to reconcile my mental image with what other people see. Here's a random pic from an acro workshop Sunday. That's me standing there in the colorful shirt next to the two people in the pose. I'm spotting. If that were not me, I would think that person looked pretty damn good. But because I *know* it's me... I see love handles hanging over my pants, I see turkey neck, I could go on for a while! I'm working on body image. I still see myself as overweight on the scale and in the mirror...

[Hot Tamale]

Oh no, Heather! So sorry this happened and sorry to hear you're hurt. I hope it all smooths out soon.

You are preaching to the choir about the body image stuff. Even with all the work I've had done, I stood in the mirror this morning and was moving skin around saying, "Oh, if she (my doc) just pulled this over some..." And I won't even start about my neck and wrinkles, etc...! In your pic I see 3 very fit people - especially YOU! I know I need to follow my own advice here, but we need to acknowledge our shortcomings, but mostly focus on our awesomeness first!!!

Speaking of awesome...I signed up for my first 5K! I was going to wait longer, but my DD9 really wanted to do this, so I said I would. Then I saw the date: 2/23! I am not healed enough to try to actually beat any times or "win" anything, but I can walk it with her, and that is what I intend to do. Maybe I will do another solo when I am more healed and actually have more of a goal as to when I finish...but first I'll focus on this.

[chewiegand]

Sure is quiet around here again. I've joined the funk crowd. Just blah. Getting a little frustrated with the tiny amount I can eat and trying to up my protein. It's difficult. I did try the chobani fruit yogurt---could only eat 1/2 of 6 oz but I saved the other part for another time. It was very good---I got blueberry.

[Krissy66]

Originally Posted by chewiegand

Is Lola a rescue greyhound? I rescued a male racer in 1998, we had to teach
him everything---to go up and down stairs, to go outside to do potty, all kinds of normal "dog" stuff. I was pregnant with my younger ds and we kept Rexie for as long as we could but he got to be unmanageable with a new baby in our house. We even went to a pet psychic!!!! Ended up giving him back to the rescue people--per our contract.

She is a rescue. We have had her almost five years and adore her!
At the beginning she was more reserved, but they say their true colors and personality come out after six months or so..so we had to be patient. she learned to go up and down very steep stairs, she sits, begs, lies down, and follows commands. she is such a beautiful and wonderful dog!

[chewiegand]

Originally Posted by Krissy66

She is a rescue. We have had her almost five years and adore her!
At the beginning she was more reserved, but they say their true colors and personality come out after six months or so..so we had to be patient. she learned to go up and down very steep stairs, she sits, begs, lies down, and follows commands. she is such a beautiful and wonderful dog!

That's great. We kept ours for about 8-9 months. He would be outside all day----and come inside and do his business on the rug and started to growl and nip my toddler plus I had an infant too. So sad but I'm sure someone adopted him.

[Krissy66]

Originally Posted by chewiegand

That's great. We kept ours for about 8-9 months. He would be outside all day----and come inside and do his business on the rug and started to growl and nip my toddler plus I had an infant too. So sad but I'm sure someone adopted him.

Was he in a kennel? We never kept her outside (NE weather--too cold, too hot). That's too bad!

[chewiegand]

Originally Posted by Krissy66

Was he in a kennel? We never kept her outside (NE weather--too cold, too hot). That's too bad!

No, not in a kennel---just in and out with our other dog, a dobie. We also lived in the NE at that time---in Connecticut. I'm still sad it didn't work out. Oh well, can't go back in time.

[Healthy and Happy]

Yikes Heather! I'm glad you and DD are OK! You look fantastic BTW, but I can understand where you're coming from as far as body image distortion. I think WLS patients are especially affected by that.


So, I'm over 21 weeks now and am at 8 lbs lost in this pregnancy, (11 lost and then 3 gained back). I definitely never had this happen with the others, it's crazy! I see my arms are looking thinner and thinner to me so I can tell I'm still losing fat. Baby is healthy though and even a little bigger than average at this point!

I stuffed myself today though, so I'll probably see the scale up tomorrow. DH took me out to my fav place to eat for lunch and then I picked up gourmet cupcakes, so yummy. I brought most of my lunch home but ate almost all of it throughout the day.

Are y'all doing anything special for Valentine's?

[Healthy and Happy]

Here's a pic of my favorite Valentine, my 93 yr old 'Pops'. He usually doesn't know me anymore but today he referred to himself as 'grandaddy' so i think he recognized me! That's my 6 yr old with us. We lost my Granny last November, go visit your grandparents if you're blessed enough to still have them!

[Maryposa]

Originally Posted by Healthy and Happy

Here's a pic of my favorite Valentine, my 93 yr old 'Pops'. He usually doesn't know me anymore but today he referred to himself as 'grandaddy' so i think he recognized me! That's my 6 yr old with us. We lost my Granny last November, go visit your grandparents if you're blessed enough to still have them!

Aw, very sweet. I have one remaining grandparent, I will see in a week and a half!

Glad to hear you are doing well. You look gorgeous in the picture!

[Hot Tamale]

What I wouldn't give for another hour or two with any of my grandparents. Ditto for even 5 minutes with my mom. When she died I was about 375 pounds. I know she is so proud and amazed and happy for me. She is also amazed I went through with all the plastic surgery. She was a strong woman, but I think she raised me to be even stronger (in some respects) that she was.

Happy Valentine's Day, Everyone!

PS: H&H I agree, you look super!

[myyellowstang]

Originally Posted by Healthy and Happy

Here's a pic of my favorite Valentine, my 93 yr old 'Pops'. He usually doesn't know me anymore but today he referred to himself as 'grandaddy' so i think he recognized me! That's my 6 yr old with us. We lost my Granny last November, go visit your grandparents if you're blessed enough to still have them!

My gramma is early stages Alzheimers and she lives in Michigan. It breaks my heart that if/when I can ever get back up there to see her she won't know me. She still recognizes most of the time the famliy that lives up there, but I'm thousands of miles away. She's not able to travel anymore.

Originally Posted by Healthy and Happy

Yikes Heather! I'm glad you and DD are OK! You look fantastic BTW, but I can understand where you're coming from as far as body image distortion. I think WLS patients are especially affected by that.


So, I'm over 21 weeks now and am at 8 lbs lost in this pregnancy, (11 lost and then 3 gained back). I definitely never had this happen with the others, it's crazy! I see my arms are looking thinner and thinner to me so I can tell I'm still losing fat. Baby is healthy though and even a little bigger than average at this point!

I stuffed myself today though, so I'll probably see the scale up tomorrow. DH took me out to my fav place to eat for lunch and then I picked up gourmet cupcakes, so yummy. I brought most of my lunch home but ate almost all of it throughout the day.

Are y'all doing anything special for Valentine's?

Thanks, and yeah it really is a distorted body image. I bought a pair of yoga pants at the thrift store that looked brand new, but I couldn't find the size tag. They looked so tiny, but I thought for $2 I'd give it a shot and give them to my daughter if they didn't fit me. Of course they fit. I see clothes on the hanger and they look so small but the same ones on me look so big lol. And people I meet are like "you're so tiny". One day I'll get there.

Baby. So excited for you (but glad it's not me lol - two teenagers is all for me!). I miss their sweet little tiny selves though.

It's it funny what "stuffing" yourself means now? Part of a meal and leftovers. Before, for me at least, it was the bread or chips, an appetizer, the WHOLE meal and most likely a gooey dessert.

Originally Posted by Hot Tamale

What I wouldn't give for another hour or two with any of my grandparents. Ditto for even 5 minutes with my mom. When she died I was about 375 pounds. I know she is so proud and amazed and happy for me. She is also amazed I went through with all the plastic surgery. She was a strong woman, but I think she raised me to be even stronger (in some respects) that she was.

Happy Valentine's Day, Everyone!

PS: H&H I agree, you look super!

Yes. I think this every day about my little brother.

[myyellowstang]

An update on my friend with the colon cancer. After 9 rounds of chemo (every other week) she has a 50% reduction in tumor size. She had a colonoscopy and there's room to navigate around the tumor so obstruction is less of a concern now. Her labs look good, she might be able to cut back on the chemo and restage her cancer down from a IV.

Remember survival rate for a stage IV is 5 years at best - but so far it looks good! We were looking at less than a year initially so she's gaining time to spend with her family and if they can decrease her chemo sessions it'll be better quality time too.

She still has liver mets, and during the scan they noticed a sclerotic spot on her spine that they want to check out next.

Please keep the good thoughts, well wishes and prayers coming.

[chewiegand]

Originally Posted by Healthy and Happy

Here's a pic of my favorite Valentine, my 93 yr old 'Pops'. He usually doesn't know me anymore but today he referred to himself as 'grandaddy' so i think he recognized me! That's my 6 yr old with us. We lost my Granny last November, go visit your grandparents if you're blessed enough to still have them!

That's great. I'm glad he recognized you. You look great. Congrats!!!! I lost all my grandparents when I was a kid.

[chewiegand]

Originally Posted by myyellowstang

An update on my friend with the colon cancer. After 9 rounds of chemo (every other week) she has a 50% reduction in tumor size. She had a colonoscopy and there's room to navigate around the tumor so obstruction is less of a concern now. Her labs look good, she might be able to cut back on the chemo and restage her cancer down from a IV.

Remember survival rate for a stage IV is 5 years at best - but so far it looks good! We were looking at less than a year initially so she's gaining time to spend with her family and if they can decrease her chemo sessions it'll be better quality time too.

She still has liver mets, and during the scan they noticed a sclerotic spot on her spine that they want to check out next.

Please keep the good thoughts, well wishes and prayers coming.

Thanks for the update. I was wondering about her. I will keep her in my prayers.

[Jesse]

Originally Posted by chewiegand

Sure is quiet around here again. I've joined the funk crowd. Just blah. Getting a little frustrated with the tiny amount I can eat and trying to up my protein. It's difficult. I did try the chobani fruit yogurt---could only eat 1/2 of 6 oz but I saved the other part for another time. It was very good---I got blueberry.

It will get better. I think one of my hardest days came at around 6 weeks. I just felt weary of all the planning and frustrated by the protein thing. Now, for the most part, I feel super normal. Sometimes though my restriction really tightens and I think what the heck! I tell myself often that it probably won't last at this level either, not based on all the stories about people needing to work hard at maintaining.

[Hot Tamale]

The good habits you create now will serve you very well when it is time to maintain - trust me! Even with everything I learned and did and do it takes a lot of preparation, thought, and plain old determination to not cave. I can eat anything I want and not get dumping...except raw celery will totally wreck me - isn't that ironic! I can eat a bowl of ice cream (well, maybe 1 or 1.5 cups) and at worst I'll feel a bit off for maybe an hour...that's it! And, other foods like that (ie: carbs) are also easily digested now. My advice? Tell yourself it is just no longer a food you can eat. Don't even try the foods that may bother you... I could ramble on about this, but I will just say learn your body, eat what's good for you, and don't look back!

[chewiegand]

Originally Posted by Hot Tamale

The good habits you create now will serve you very well when it is time to maintain - trust me! Even with everything I learned and did and do it takes a lot of preparation, thought, and plain old determination to not cave. I can eat anything I want and not get dumping...except raw celery will totally wreck me - isn't that ironic! I can eat a bowl of ice cream (well, maybe 1 or 1.5 cups) and at worst I'll feel a bit off for maybe an hour...that's it! And, other foods like that (ie: carbs) are also easily digested now. My advice? Tell yourself it is just no longer a food you can eat. Don't even try the foods that may bother you... I could ramble on about this, but I will just say learn your body, eat what's good for you, and don't look back!

Thanks. I really appreciate your wisdom.

[myyellowstang]

Originally Posted by Jesse

It will get better. I think one of my hardest days came at around 6 weeks. I just felt weary of all the planning and frustrated by the protein thing. Now, for the most part, I feel super normal. Sometimes though my restriction really tightens and I think what the heck! I tell myself often that it probably won't last at this level either, not based on all the stories about people needing to work hard at maintaining.

I mourned food and hated my life at this point. I cried daily wondering what I did to myself. Society revolves around food. Date night - food. Parties - food. Movies - food! Life changes, things get great and food loses it's pull. Wait for it, one day you'll look around and be disgusted by how other people eat and want to "save" them. I did my husband and kids. Then I realized that was their choice and this was mine. I bought healthier things, but I didn't condemn.

Originally Posted by Hot Tamale

The good habits you create now will serve you very well when it is time to maintain - trust me! Even with everything I learned and did and do it takes a lot of preparation, thought, and plain old determination to not cave. I can eat anything I want and not get dumping...except raw celery will totally wreck me - isn't that ironic! I can eat a bowl of ice cream (well, maybe 1 or 1.5 cups) and at worst I'll feel a bit off for maybe an hour...that's it! And, other foods like that (ie: carbs) are also easily digested now. My advice? Tell yourself it is just no longer a food you can eat. Don't even try the foods that may bother you... I could ramble on about this, but I will just say learn your body, eat what's good for you, and don't look back!

Yes! Follow your rules. You will be able to eat more and you'll wish for that restriction several years out! Good habits pay off in the long run - trust me!!!!!! Without mine I'd fail. I still weigh and measure at almost 3 years out. I know my capacity, I know how much satisfies me and that's what I portion. If I eat without portioning I set myself up for overeating. I still track calories and protein. Perhaps not every day, although that is ideal, but most days a week. It's easy to estimate calories and come up way off. (Try it one day when you are able to eat more. Record every little bite, lick and taste - they add up!)

I can't tell you if I dump or not because I've never tested it. I've not had anything with high fat or added sugars. I probably do... but why find out? I treat it like I do and avoid things that cause it.

It's true that carbs are easy to get in, which is why people tend to let those back in their diets post op. That and sugars are why people start to regain... one bite leads to more. Ask me about my addiction to Lay's potato chips.

[myyellowstang]

Originally Posted by Hot Tamale

except raw celery will totally wreck me

Have you tried taking the strings off?

[Hot Tamale]

After the three days of pain and issues I had with the celery I am very leery of it. I have had small pieces of it (like in macaroni salad...) but I chew the heck out of it. I do think the strings off would help a lot. When I had the problem (which almost took me to the ER...) I ate celery sticks with hummus - so long stings, which all balled up in my stomach. I could feel it in there for days - and only had liquids for about 2 days afterwards. And, when I did drink something, I swear I could feel it straining through the strands like liquid through a strainer! Now, if only I could tell myself I would feel that way when I ate sweets or bread!
PS: Heather - I didn't even EAT potato chips before WLS...now I really like them...and, for me, it is true, I can't eat just one, so I almost always just say no!

[Jesse]

Heather and HT, one of the many things I've learned from these boards and the two of you is that I'm not going to be able to rely on restriction alone to keep the weight off in the coming years. So I'd better work it now. I still enjoy food, so for those social things that feature food I try to choose really really carefully so I have maximum sensory enjoyment with the minimum amount consumed. Shrimp helps! And then I have to move on and find other things to enjoy at the gathering because I am not going to hang out at the food table all night.

I had one of the more trying experiences the other day at a meeting. I was meeting with some other teachers to plan curriculum. Meeting started at 7:30 am and one of the teachers arrived with FOUR boxes of Girl Scout cookies, took the sleeves out of the box, ripped open the sleeves and put them in the middle of the table. Now I know I can resist them,but there seemed no end point in sight. As the hours ticked by, my stomach began to churn with acid, because I think seeing them was giving my stomach visual cues that food was coming soon. I pondered what to do ~ should I ask to have them removed, but I wasn't sure that was fair since it was my problem and other people were enjoying the cookies. But on the other hand, I was getting angry that I had to endure looking at them for what now seemed was going to be ALL DAY, since there were so many cookies they weren't going to all get eaten. Normally I have to resist something for a set time period and then they're gone, or it lunch is over etc. I talked to my friend about my acid agony, who was the only one at the meeting who knew about my eating plan, and she said we should rearrange our laptops and the cookies and she thought we could obscure my view. It worked thank heavens. I'm proud I didn't cave and have a few cookies. I could have made them work calorie wise, but that wasn't the point. To me the point was I did not plan to eat cookies, so if I did eat some, it would be off plan and I would feel I wasn't in control. I do not want to go there ~ the place where I am eating impulsively and not in a thoughtful planned way. It wasn't easy, but I made it. And I feel stronger for the next time.

[Hot Tamale]

Jesse - You did the right - and terribly difficult thing! Congrats! I know to avoid the teacher's lounge and work areas because someone always has put something out for everyone... Fortunately I just decided early on that I just will NOT eat those cookies, cakes, danish, etc... and I have stuck to it. This past week I had many people in my face offering me things - cupcakes, cookies, candy. In two instances, I did take something, but the secret is, when I was alone, it went in the trash. Maybe that's being wasteful, but so be it. I know there are people where I work who watch me eat - they watch what I take to eat from breakfasts or luncheons, etc... They also watch what I contribute. At the last holiday breakfast I walked in with apples and bananas (most people like these cause they can take them for a snack later...) and one lady said loudly, "Oh, look at Ms. Healthy with her fresh fruit!" Funny, in the old days no one ever yelled, "Look at Ms. Heart Attack Waiting to Happen with her cookies and donuts!"

My only additional suggestion is to have some go-to foods/snacks with you at all times. I always have an Atkins Bar in my bag. You could also have sleeves of nuts or bring an apple. I happen to have overtaken a crisper drawer in my lunch area fridge...I keep it filled with botled water, greek yogurt, some cheese, and other items along with my lunches. I eat many mini meals throughout the day and I am not apologetic about it. I have a drawer in my room with more Atkins bars and Wasa crackers along with a jar of lower-sugar peanut butter, too. I make sure I have something for when hunger hits. They sure weren't sorry for the cookies, were they? You do what you need to do!!

[Jesse]

HT, that's so funny about the comments on your food and your inner thoughts Yesterday someone brought me an oreo blizzard!!!! Student Council was delivering them to teachers. Luckily for me my 17 year old son is a junior at my school. Everyone in his marketing class was jealous when my stunning student aide showed up in his class and gave him a blizzard.

[Healthy and Happy]

Thanks ladies for your sweet comments.


HT, I love celery and carrots with peanut butter, (and apples too). That's a yucky aversion to have!

[chewiegand]

Jesse and HT---congrats on your strength and resistance. I also took over one of my frig's crisper drawers for my special stuff like string cheese, special lunch meats, etc---just for me. Everyone in my family knows that is my drawer and they better stay out of it.

[Maryposa]

I really am liking the green giant frozen veggies that are pre-seasoned and come in little boxes.

Reason being, I loooove my veggies... but ... I love them smothered in garlic butter, mayonnaise (artichoke and asparagus), cheese, ranch dressing, olive oil salt pepper, etc... and I know I over-do it.

These green giant frozen veggies have butter, cheese, or olive oil "sauces" or "seasonings" but they aren't excessive like I would do. They are low cal, but not overly-chemically and not high in carbs