What's on the menu today, RNYers?

Way to wipe the floor with those college kids!  That's amazing :) I already find myself doing more than before and I can only imagine how my life will be a year from now (I am four months out).  It's nice to know I am not the only Sharpei lol.  Misery loves company :)  Just kidding - I wish we all looked amazing and like our skin had never stretched!

Also, my original goal was 150.  I never dreamed I would be under that weight.  You'll be surprised that you'll probably modify your goal as well.  I'm very happy at my current weight, but I wouldn't mind losing 10 more pounds (I'm 5'1) just to be a little under because I am terribly afraid of regain.  At 16 months, I'm just now struggling with making sure I'm not going over calories, grazing, etc. and I'm starting to crave sugar.  I never buy candy or any desserts, but it seems like there's always a holiday that brings that crap into my house with my kids.  Christmas, then Valentine's day, now Easter!  I'm finding that I just have to have NONE of it in order to be successful.  If I have even one, it turns into a problem.  I'm now able to eat larger portions as well, which makes me nervous.  I'm being extra diligent with tracking in MFP!

Hi everyone - Happy Monday !

DCGirl - what a beautiful photo! You are doing fantastic and inspiring a lot of people! I know sometimes we can't "see our hard work" but just know I can really see your loss and changes. Enjoy the moment / process (I know, easier said than done). This goes by so fast and we (or I) tend to focus on the end result and miss the "moments" in between. I am almost 9 months out and I still can't believe how fast it went. Enjoy your today !

I have been trying to get rid of the last three/four pounds to reach goal for weeks now. I was always slow losing the weight but now, oh my goodness! Snail pace! I will get there and in the meantime I am focusing on exercise and enjoying it. I am NOT enjoying the protein shakes anymore but I can't seem to eat enough dense protein without them. I feel like I am eating A LOT and then my numbers for protein end up being too low! My NUT says 70 protein is acceptable and I CAN reach that without shakes but then here I've read higher protein (90 - 100) is key.

(B) Coffee, Protein shake w/Soy Lite/SF syrup (L) Soy burger w/slice of provolone/onion (D) steak tips w/sautéed mushrooms, cooked spinach (S) greek yogurt w/nuts, cranberries & Fiber Protein Bar

Water - always good, Vitamins - yup, Exercise - adding a bike ride (if the wind doesn't blow me over).

Take Care - Debb

Debb - thanks for your kind words!  You are soooo close!  You should be super proud.  Imagine this, I am 107 lbs down and still 13 lbs above your starting weight!!!  LOL

I am also enjoying exercise, shockingly.  I always thought those people who were like, "I love the gym - my day is not complete without it" were full of crap.  But I think I may become one of those people.  I am just tempted to shave my head because dealing with this mop every day after sweating and having to wash and blow dry is a pain in my a$$!

Good pointer - I am going to enjoy my today, work towards my tomorrow, and then save this year's bonus for plastics lol ;)

Good morning DC and my fellow menu posters.  First let me say DC you look awesome in your Cherry Blossom picture, I love it!  Amazing job on all the steps wowzers!!  

Now on to the other hot topic, our weight loss, our changing bodies, our sagging skin!  I just read through everyone's replies and I am sitting at my desk at work nodding my head as I read each one, I relate, I feel the same way, I think the same, we are all in this together for sure!!  I come from a family of large breasted women, both sides of my family, I have always had large ample good looking boobs!!  Now... I avoid looking in the mirror as much as I can, when I get undressed to get into the shower I purposely look away from the mirror so I don't see my reflection.  I was out with family on the weekend and all the ladies were sitting in the backyard in the sunshine chatting and my aunt said to me "oh my god I can't get over how good you are looking, almost at goal and you look amazing" so I thought I would share with them as they are all fascinated with all things WLS, how I don't have any boobs left. I was wearing a form fitting top and it looked like I had boobs and so my niece said "what are you talking about, you still have boobs!" and I said "Oh my dear, these boobs were brought to you by Victoria Secret padded push up bra" they all had a good laugh but inside I was crying!!!  My arms, legs and stomach are not that bad, a bit of sagging skin but apparently I am losing it all off my boobs!!  Oh well, I signed up for this and knew it was coming, but its still very upsetting.  I have already started a "boob lift" fund for when that day comes I want to go for it.  Trust me I get what every single one of you are saying!  BUT for how good I feel physically and mentally and off all my medication and the energy I have I would do this again 10X over.  I will take hanging skin and saggy boobs any day to feel this good.  DC your line of "How the F did I get here...to the point of needing surgery" I think I ask myself that at least once a week.  And I feel so shameful and so guilty that I did this to myself, getting so big.  I have a cousin in NYC that has been bugging me to come and visit her, and for six years I have said yes I would go and this weekend she kinda called me out on it, "Daisy for six years you said you would come and visit and nothing, what is going on!!" and I am too ashamed to admit to her that at my previous weight I didn't want her to see me and there was no way I could walk around NYC and keep up with her and see all sites etc.   I actually cried this weekend I was so sad for myself that I did this, I ate until I became Morbidly Obese.   So I told her this is it, I am coming this year (trip planned in Sept) and she does not know I had WLS so she will be amazed by the transformation.  But now I want to travel, go to parties, be out and socialize, go clothes shopping.  Its life changing.  My body is losing weight and for me following the eating plan, drinking water, exercising, taking vitamins, that's easy, its the head games, the shame, the guilt that is working me over, and everyday I have to work on that part.  Thanks everyone for letting me share/vent!!  

5 months and 10 days post op RNY

B: two cups of black coffee with one Splenda each and then one cup of unsweetened Almond milk with two scoops of chocolate protein powder

S: one Swiss Babybel

L: 3oz of grilled Greek style chicken and 1/4 cup mixed greens

D: 4 oz of bbq grilled chicken and 1/2 cup bbq grilled asparagus

S: one Swiss cheese babybel and 1/2 cup sliced strawberries with one Splenda sprinkled over top

Stats: 636 calories 17 Carbs 101 Protein

Exercise: walk at lunch hour and walk the dogs when I get home, and while watching TV have 5 lbs hand weights I do biceps curls and triceps curls and on the commercials I do sit ups

Vitamins: two multi, iron, B12 done, Calcium and D are on alarms on my iphone throughout the day

Water: not a problem, already at 32 oz

Thanks for sharing everyone, have a great start to the week!

Daisy 

Bad, bad start to the morning..... 

Breakfast: Vienna Sausages

Lunch: Protein Shake

Afternoon snack: Salad w/onions, tomatoes, and lime juice.

Dinner: Tuna with mustard and black beans

Hey Daisy!  Just know you are not alone in your feelings of guilt and shame, nor in your sagging skin and boobs :(  Not sure if that helps, but at least you know.  I feel terrible that you let your weight stop you from visiting people and doing things - somehow I have always been on a plane every 2 or 3 weeks even at my top weight and just made sure to keep doing things.  It's just SO much easier now.  I agree that I would do this again, 20 times over, despite sharpei skin.  I haven't lost my boobs yet but it's early days lol.  I see more hair coming out but I have a lot so keeping my fingers crossed that I don't end up bald.  You can come here and vent/share any time you would like!

It's funny how fascinated people are with WLS, right?  My friends are all dying to know how I feel, how I am doing, what I feel like.  I am so scared for my appetite to increase because even 4 months out I notice a difference.

Speaking of NYC, I am headed there this weekend with 3 other friends.  I am already a planner, and it's Easter weekend, and it's NYC so I figured I would make sure we have reservations for every meal so there is something that is WLS-friendly for me everywhere we go (sorry friends, no pizza on this trip lol!).  I feel psychotic but I have brunch and dinner planned and reserved on Open Table for each day ha ha.  That's awesome you planned your trip - you will have so much fun!  I love that city - and even though my current weight is higher than your starting weight, because I am 107 lbs down I feel super energetic and ready to take on the streets of NY!

Thanks for such an open and honest post, and really making me think about how hard I am on myself.  Because reading your post I think, Daisy - you are doing so amazing, how can you live in the past and have guilt and who cares about boobs when there are bras to help that!  But people undoubtedly read my post and think the same thing about my negative thoughts :)

Hi DC, thank you for your sweet reply!  Made my day! Yes I let my weight stop me from A LOT of things, I just lost myself in food and depression.  I hated it. I wish I could have been like you and outgoing no matter what, but it really affected me mentally, not just the physical part.  For me month 3.5 - 5 the hair loss was rampant! Now at almost 5 1/2 months is starting to slow down.  I guess everyone is different, but the more protein I ate and more water I drank it seemed to slow the hair loss down a bit.  Months 1-3 were hard for me post op, getting my protein, water and vitamins was hard and I struggled, but now its amazing, its my new life and I am embracing it.  At 5.5 months post op I HAVE noticed I am getting some hunger back. SCARES the crap outa me!  So like everyone says I evaluate if in fact its real hunger or boredom/head hunger.  A few times I have caught myself cuz it has been head hunger.  You will have no problems, you are rocking this journey.

Oh my family and the select few friends that know I had WLS are beyond fascinated.  Sometimes I feel like a science experiment, all the questions and "can I see your incisions" (asked from family) and I am happy to answer all the questions etc but the one thnig that drives me a bit crazy is how they think this is temporary.  I had one aunt say oh so in a year or so you can have a burger, fries and milkshake right?  I looked at her and said NO, NEVER again.  It will now be just a burger patty, no bun, a side of veggies and ice water, that's the new way of eating!!  They still don't really get it, they say they get it but they don't.  Funny and frustrating at the same time.

Tell me all about your NYC trip when you get back. You must tell me where you end up eating so I can check those places out too.  My cousin is right down town NYC, she is a fashion designer and so she is very "hip" and tall and slim and gorgeous and she knows all the "cool" spots.  I don't think its psychotic to have your menus/restaurants preplanned, that's damn smart!  Being Canadian we don't have access to a lot of the restaurant chains that you Americans do so going on a trip to the US is a bit daunting as I don't have the "regular" places to go to like I do at home.

Thank you for the vote of confidence, I look at you and your posts and think "God damn she is doing amazing, she is one gorgeous girl, all that long blond hair, totally confident, awesome personality, that girl is going places!!"  Grass always looks greener on the other side right....  Thanks DC, I needed the "pep" talk.  

So happy we can pep talk each other :)  

I wish I could be confident I am rocking this and won't have head hunger but I already occasionally do.  Yesterday afternoon I was home and kinda bored, and I felt hungry even though I didn't think I should be (i.e. if I were busy I wouldn't have felt it).  I ate a few pickles.  They are almost calorie free, and no carbs :)

But I am with you - I don't trust myself to eat "bad" food again.  Sometimes that makes me sad but then I realize I had more bad food in my 36 years pre-op so hey, it is what it is.  I am trying to find healthy alternatives to my faves (like tofu shirataki noodles and cauliflower pizza crust).  Who knows, when I reach goal maybe I will find a way to have A piece of pizza.  Emphasis on "A".  But I am so scared it will turn back into five pieces lol.  

And wow the nice compliments from you - I am gonna say thanks and digest them, and work really hard at the gym tonight, and make sure to not focus on my saggy thighs, and instead feel happy that I am going places :)

I will for SURE share details from my NYC trip.  We are staying in Tribeca and will mostly be downtown (SoHo, West Village, Lower East Side) for the weekend.  I plan to walk a lot, eat protein, drink water, and shop :)  I can imagine it would be daunting and we aren't going to any chain restaurants so I was psychotically scouring reviews on Yelp and then menus on Open Table.  And then making reservations when I found a place that had good WLS options.

Don't be scared about hunger...we all know it's coming so we may as well eat some almonds or some deli turkey or a piece of cheese or something that has protein and fills us up.  As long as I grocery shop and plan, I can keep it all together :)

Have an awesome night and thank YOU for the pep talk!!!

PS Thank god no one has asked to see my incisions!  That's a new one!

Haha, my 3 year old niece is OBSESSED with my incisions and insists on seeing them every time we see one another (which is often because we live in the same town and my sister and I are very close). She's the only one though - she likes to show me how her tummy doesn't have any booboos. Apparently when my sister talked to her about how she had to be very gentle with me and I couldn't pick her up, etc, etc, she had a lot of questions (shocking) and it came around to "the doctor worked inside her tummy and had to make some holes to get in there." Oy!

Random aside - when did y'all start eating deli meat? I'm moving on to the "Soft Food" stage of my eating plan and deli meat seems soft-ish to me...I go to my clinic next week, so I'll ask my NUT then, but thought I'd see when others started using it.