Groundhog Hunting WLS Thread - February 2013

[Gymnopedie]

It's FEBRUARY!!!!

Will the goundhog see his shadow?

[chewiegand]

Hi all. Did 35 minutes today. Woohoo. Love, love, love doing it first thing in the morning.

Yesterday I had a 35 gram protein shake and it sat like a lead balloon in my stomach and I was only able to eek out 20 minutes of exercise---just didn't feel well. Today I had half that amount and it was perfect.

How do the rest of you deal with your pre-exercise snack/food? I was exercising on an empty stomach but think that's not a good idea. Any advice is appreciated.

[Maryposa]

Thanks for starting the new thread... any way we can edit the title so it also says February? I just want to make sure the lost can find their way back if they choose to search lol there are some we haven't heard from since Oct/Nov. If not, no biggie.

I am ready to commit to more structure this month. Inching my way back into physical activity, and more structured/planned out menus.

This recovery has been tough. Monday will be 9 weeks, I still have open/healing wounds (spots here and there) and my legs hurt (nerve pain?) and my tummy area gets sore. My sleep patterns are still not regular and my energy is not 100%. Day by day, baby step by baby step, I am healing/recovering.

[Hot Tamale]

I hear you, Mary... I have some similar issues. Hopefully we will both feel a lot better in a few weeks. I want to exercise, too...just don't wanna mess up my progress with healing. Hang in there - you know it will be worth it - and soon!

[Jesse]

Enduring days and nights of double digit subzero temperatures here! This cold saps my will to live. I'm staying on my eating plan, but I've been slacking on exercise ~ at the end of the work day all I could think about this week was getting home and under the covers. I'm going to get back on track today.

[Savannah]

Originally Posted by Jesse

Enduring days and nights of double digit subzero temperatures here! This cold saps my will to live. I'm staying on my eating plan, but I've been slacking on exercise ~ at the end of the work day all I could think about this week was getting home and under the covers. I'm going to get back on track today.

BRRRRRR thats cold I'm freezing too & its much warmer here

Where is everyone?? I've been redoing the house with hubby & exhausted
trying to get back to support for loss! My only exercise is walking alot at work & moving, lifting, & tossing stuff in the disaster area garage daily & repeat

I went for my scheduled WLS appointment & I was close to 1 yr mark so they did the barium swallow. I was so pleased because my sleeve looked perfect without any stretching according to the PA!!! She told me I had eaten too many calories the day before & I actually did that to break my stagnent scale results. I told her I would go back to 700 cals & come back in 6 weeks just for accountability
Except for knee pain & back pain I feel wonderful with lots of energy & want to get back to water aerobics as soon as our home study & house renovations
are done!!

Hope everyone has a great super bowl Sunday!!

[Jesse]

I'm not much of a football fan, but I enjoy parties! Even so I'm glad we don't have plans to attend a superbowl party this year- dh has to work until 6pm so we declined. Thankful I won't have to deal with the food, because I've been having a craving full weekend. How is everyone else coping?

[chewiegand]

Congrats Savannah. I didn't know you have to do a barium swallow at a year. I wonder if all surgeons do that. So how much weight have you lost????

Superbowl is at my house so I'm making all low carb stuff. Wings, cheeseball w/veggies, mini dogs in homemade lc bbq, jalapeno poppers and chili. I even made strawberries stuffed with sf cheesecake filling. YUM I can't eat much but I will enjoy the little I do eat.

[Jesse]

Originally Posted by chewiegand

Congrats Savannah. I didn't know you have to do a barium swallow at a year. I wonder if all surgeons do that. So how much weight have you lost????

Superbowl is at my house so I'm making all low carb stuff. Wings, cheeseball w/veggies, mini dogs in homemade lc bbq, jalapeno poppers and chili. I even made strawberries stuffed with sf cheesecake filling. YUM I can't eat much but I will enjoy the little I do eat.

Sounds great! I'm usually really fine at parties picking a few select yummy things that work with my sleeve and eating style, but today I don't trust myself I think I'd be okay at your party

[Jesse]

I usually weigh myself everyday, and I can deal with the numbers pretty realistically. I've had a hysterectomy, so I don't get the wild hormonal ups and down weight changes because of water retention etc. My weight loss is pretty steady, about 2 pounds a week. This last week I decided to try just weighing once a week, and I'm not sure it was for the best. I feel disconnected from my plan, wanting to eat more ... not sure it is specifically linked to the lack of scale feedback, but it's possible. I'm going back to weighing everyday. Just thought I'd share because it another example of one size does not fit all and it's good to know what works for you.

[Jesse]

I guess I have a lot of time to post today since I'm not doing Super Bowl stuff. I just tried a recipe from Dashing Dish ~ Apple Bacon Chicken Salad for One ~ yummmm 158 calories, 20 grams of protein. I doubled the recipe, looking forward to tomorrow's lunch.

[chewiegand]

Originally Posted by Jesse

I guess I have a lot of time to post today since I'm not doing Super Bowl stuff. I just tried a recipe from Dashing Dish ~ Apple Bacon Chicken Salad for One ~ yummmm 158 calories, 20 grams of protein. I doubled the recipe, looking forward to tomorrow's lunch.

Sounds delicious!!!

[Dreamtrue]

I check in every few months. I had VSG in December 2011. I am down to 209 from 325. I'm very happy but I am trying to kick it into gear and get this last bit of weight off in 2013. I have not followed the plan since about 2 months out which is not good. I have also not really excersized at all this whole time. I have never done low carb this whole time either but I'm thinking about going back to that and trying to get some consistent exercise going.

Right now I'm teetering on a Misses 14/16. My goal is to be a size Small/4/6. I also realize now that I've lost weight my frame is smaller than what I always thought it was. So I think I could get down to the 130's or 140s and still look decent. It seemed impossible when I first started but now it seems possible.

[Maryposa]

Originally Posted by Jesse

Enduring days and nights of double digit subzero temperatures here! This cold saps my will to live. I'm staying on my eating plan, but I've been slacking on exercise ~ at the end of the work day all I could think about this week was getting home and under the covers. I'm going to get back on track today.

Wowwww I don't even know what that feels like. California girl here.

[Maryposa]

Dreamtrue, nice to hear from you, good luck with your renewed efforts. The sleeve is wonderful, but there certainly is still allot of work that needs to be done on the part of the patient, still. Especially long term!

[chewiegand]

Hi Dreamtrue. I haven't been on here too long, since last summer when I began my pre-op stuff. Had my vsg on Dec 3. Welcome back. Congrats on your one year surgeversity and weight loss. Maybe checking in more regularly will help you stay motivated and on track???

[ANGELFIRE80]

Originally Posted by Maryposa

Dreamtrue, nice to hear from you, good luck with your renewed efforts. The sleeve is wonderful, but there certainly is still allot of work that needs to be done on the part of the patient, still. Especially long term!

SO true!

[SINDERELLA]

Congrats Dreamcometrue! I am hoping to be where you're at in November 2013. Thanks for the reassurance that it can be done. You are an inspiration.

[Jesse]

I started reading a book ~ Half-assed , a weight loss memoir. The author lost a significant amount of weight (not through surgery, but she does not diss this route either). Some interesting observations about being invisible when you're obese and her fascination with fashion once she could shop in misses sizes... I'm about halfway through , and so far I would recommend it, if for no other reason to see some of what you thought or felt put into words.

[myyellowstang]

Originally Posted by Dreamtrue

I check in every few months. I had VSG in December 2011. I am down to 209 from 325. I'm very happy but I am trying to kick it into gear and get this last bit of weight off in 2013. I have not followed the plan since about 2 months out which is not good. I have also not really excersized at all this whole time. I have never done low carb this whole time either but I'm thinking about going back to that and trying to get some consistent exercise going.

Right now I'm teetering on a Misses 14/16. My goal is to be a size Small/4/6. I also realize now that I've lost weight my frame is smaller than what I always thought it was. So I think I could get down to the 130's or 140s and still look decent. It seemed impossible when I first started but now it seems possible.

Completely doable. I'm 145 and a 2/4/6 depending on brand. My frame is very small and it took me a long time to wrap my head around the fact that most of that 145 is muscle. I was down to 133 at one point in time and while I *dig* that number I don't think I could pull it off anymore. Perhaps after plastics I'll be 130-something, but I'm good where I am. It seemed impossible to me over 150 pounds ago!

[myyellowstang]

Originally Posted by Dreamtrue

I have not followed the plan since about 2 months out which is not good. I have also not really excersized at all this whole time.

To *stay* at that size though you need to fix this. I couldn't maintain where I am (I'm almost 3 years out now) without a very rigorous workout regimen. To me it's not bad, I enjoy it - but to others it seems extreme. I work out 6-8 hours a week minimum and I'm ready to add running back into the mix for another 3 hours a week. I enjoy it and it's part of my life. I miss it when I don't do it, which I haven't for a week since I've been sick...

I can tell a difference in the scale when I am off my routine.

[myyellowstang]

Originally Posted by Jesse

I usually weigh myself everyday, and I can deal with the numbers pretty realistically.

I weigh myself every damn time I walk past the scale in the bathroom. Not only do I do that, but it sends that weight to my cell phone to two seperate tracker apps where I can see trends *very* quickly. It's easy to say it's just a pound, it's just a half pound, but if I see that little line trending up then it's a little bit more than "just a..."

Keeps me realistic and I don't pay any mind to the little swings that happen as long as they don't consistently happen. Up and down is fine. Up and up is not!

[Hot Tamale]

I make sure to weigh several times a week...when I start avoiding it I know bad things are most likely happening. I don't like that I do tend to base my feelings around what I weigh, but I am getting used to the fact that my weight does go up and down a few pounds - being up a pound or two is sometimes normal - I just can't ignore it.

[Gymnopedie]

I need to do my monthly weigh in...

Just chugging along, I suppose. We've been in the below zero range, too, and it's killing my will to live.

[Maryposa]

Originally Posted by Hot Tamale

I make sure to weigh several times a week...when I start avoiding it I know bad things are most likely happening. I don't like that I do tend to base my feelings around what I weigh, but I am getting used to the fact that my weight does go up and down a few pounds - being up a pound or two is sometimes normal - I just can't ignore it.

I totally get ya there... same for me.

[Chrissykin]

Originally Posted by Gymnopedie

I need to do my monthly weigh in...

Just chugging along, I suppose. We've been in the below zero range, too, and it's killing my will to live.

Me too! I am so cold all the time. I am ready for warmer weather.

It sounds like everyone is chugging along and doing well.

[Maryposa]

Just saying "hi". I am struggling in allot of ways...

A journalist from the UK is going to interview me via phone today about my journey. She saw me on youtube. I am always a little weary of internet scams/fraud though, so if she asks for too much non-relevant personal information I am going to decline.

[Hot Tamale]

Wow Mary! That is really cool! I hope she is legit and not a weirdo or a scammer...have fun with it - what a cool NSV!!!

[Jesse]

I am not "out" to people at work. For the most part, people are respectful of my responses to their questions/comments How are you doing this? me: complete lifestyle change how much have you lost? me: a lot! I sincerely enjoy people saying Hey, you're looking good etc because I can answer with a smile and say Thank You! and then it's done. Sometimes people push, but I share what I want and nothing more. I find it boring to talk on and on about the ins and outs of dieting, Good lord I've been dieting all my life and I'm sick of talking about it. I am much more interested in talking about how I FEEL about the whole business. And how I feel about things is not a topic I am going to discuss at length with just everybody. Too personal. So yesterday during lunch I ended up sitting with the group who was talking about dieting and asking me questions, and having one co-worker explain her whole diet to me so I could offer my opinion.... and on the other side of the table I could hear a super interesting discussion about the limits of freedom of speech .... today I made sure to get there early enough to pick my "non diet talk" spot

[chewiegand]

Originally Posted by Jesse

I am not "out" to people at work. For the most part, people are respectful of my responses to their questions/comments How are you doing this? me: complete lifestyle change how much have you lost? me: a lot! I sincerely enjoy people saying Hey, you're looking good etc because I can answer with a smile and say Thank You! and then it's done. Sometimes people push, but I share what I want and nothing more. I find it boring to talk on and on about the ins and outs of dieting, Good lord I've been dieting all my life and I'm sick of talking about it. I am much more interested in talking about how I FEEL about the whole business. And how I feel about things is not a topic I am going to discuss at length with just everybody. Too personal. So yesterday during lunch I ended up sitting with the group who was talking about dieting and asking me questions, and having one co-worker explain her whole diet to me so I could offer my opinion.... and on the other side of the table I could hear a super interesting discussion about the limits of freedom of speech .... today I made sure to get there early enough to pick my "non diet talk" spot

Good for you. I too get bored with diet talk. I need to figure out a way to tell my parents to back off. I have them over for a big family dinner every Sunday and don't normally see them other times during the week. The biggest topic is always, How do you feel? How much have you lost? (Knowing I don't weigh very often) I just want them to forget about the surgery and just accept me for me. Kwim?