Three Months Out

[Michael Smalley]

Michael it sounds like you are doing great. I hadn't thought much about traveling but you make some good points. Unfortunately when we travel my husband and I have usually depended on fast food. Guess 's time to stop that "easy way out" thinking and use my brain. Thank you for the inspiration.

Take a look at the menu at some of these places, Cindy and pay close attention to the nutritional info. It really is appalling. If I end up eating out some when I'm in Seattle for my six month check I might find an IHOP or Denny's type of place and order eggs and bacon which I can make last three meals easily. I'll ask them to hold the pancakes and hashbrowns.

[Michael Smalley]

Great job, sounds like you are really getting it. It's fun to be a guy -- at 224# we are already in L's! When I traveled I bought a $15 mini-blender from Amazon and I use it to make shakes in my hotel room, plus I go to a nearby grocery store and get frozen entrees and almond milk to help "cook" as usually I get a microwave and fridge in my room at the Courtyards I usually stay in. You are now past the really tough phase so enjoy this!

My only advice is to buy only 1-2 clothing items unless you need them professionally. When I hit L shirts and 36x32 pants I was convinced that I was never going to be smaller than that so I invested in that size. Yup, you guessed it, now I wear M shirts and 34x32 pants so that was just another expensive donation. I don't think I can go any smaller so I'm struggling if this is where I can finally really invest, or should I be afraid of maybe going down a pant size (think I'm OK with the shirts). It is definitely a learning process.

Thank you, John. I did exactly as you say and only bought two pairs of pants and two shirts. I figure I'll be in mediums by the time I finish so no point in getting too many clothes since I'm losing over 20 lbs. a month.

[MiMiCeeBee]

I don't make as much home made food only because it ends up tossed. I do eat Healthy Choice and Lean Cuisine type meals. And then i only can eat half of one of them. Fourth of July is coming up and frankly I'm dreading it. All that fuss over food, for other people. ; )

[CidCherise]

My fave "fast food" choices of late are Wendy's Chili and Chik Fil A grilled chicken nuggets. I'm actually making a "game" out of figuring out what to eat while on the road. My daughter plays fastpitch softball so we travel every weekend during the summer. I have rocked it out picking foods from nice sit down restaurants to the old stand by fast food joints. ALWAYS, taking 3/4 of it back to the hotel (thank goodness for microwaves and mini fridges). It's a mind game .. along with some common sense. Loved your post..

[hardy169]

I had my surgery on 2/7/13 and I have only lost 26 pounds as of 7/4/13. I'm not sure why I'm not loosing as quickly as others. The day of surgery I weighed 222 lbs. I am so disgusted. I can't eat much. I had a hiatal hernia repair at the same time. I'm just getting to the point where I can eat and not have the feeling of food getting stuck.

I am getting a minimum of 80 grams of protein now. I have been at 196 pounds for approx two months now. Can someone tell me what I might be doing wrong. I have not been exercising everyday and this week I've started exercising more. I have lost inches, but the scale is not moving.

PLEASE HELP, any suggestions.

[Michael Smalley]

I don't make as much home made food only because it ends up tossed. I do eat Healthy Choice and Lean Cuisine type meals. And then i only can eat half of one of them. Fourth of July is coming up and frankly I'm dreading it. All that fuss over food, for other people. ; )

Isn't it nice not having those same feelings we did before, Cher? No more fussing for us! ;D

[Michael Smalley]

My fave "fast food" choices of late are Wendy's Chili and Chik Fil A grilled chicken nuggets. I'm actually making a "game" out of figuring out what to eat while on the road. My daughter plays fastpitch softball so we travel every weekend during the summer. I have rocked it out picking foods from nice sit down restaurants to the old stand by fast food joints. ALWAYS, taking 3/4 of it back to the hotel (thank goodness for microwaves and mini fridges). It's a mind game .. along with some common sense. Loved your post..

Thank you, Cherise. The chili and Chik Fil A sound good. Chili was a staple when I was in the pureed food stage. 1/4 cup of chili and a tablespoon of mashed potatoes was easy to puree and get down and was the first dinner I had on day one of pureed foods.

[Michael Smalley]

I had my surgery on 2/7/13 and I have only lost 26 pounds as of 7/4/13. I'm not sure why I'm not loosing as quickly as others. The day of surgery I weighed 222 lbs. I am so disgusted. I can't eat much. I had a hiatal hernia repair at the same time. I'm just getting to the point where I can eat and not have the feeling of food getting stuck.

I am getting a minimum of 80 grams of protein now. I have been at 196 pounds for approx two months now. Can someone tell me what I might be doing wrong. I have not been exercising everyday and this week I've started exercising more. I have lost inches, but the scale is not moving.

PLEASE HELP, any suggestions.

What is your caloric intake? If you aren't taking enough in your body will go into starvation mode and hoard every calorie that goes in. How much fluid do you drink a day? Post-surgery we really need to balance everything we take in, calories, protein, fluids. Have you talked to your surgeon or the nutritionist recently?

[hardy169]

Michael,
I limit my caloric intake to 1,000 but most days I'm under this amount. I get 53-60 oz of fluid. Some days I make it to 64oz. I have talked to my doctor and he said I was doing fine. This week I have started exercising more; however, I've spoken to people that are not exercising and still loosing.

Thanks for replying. I'm new to this forum and still trying to figure things out.

[Michael Smalley]

Michael,
I limit my caloric intake to 1,000 but most days I'm under this amount. I get 53-60 oz of fluid. Some days I make it to 64oz. I have talked to my doctor and he said I was doing fine. This week I have started exercising more; however, I've spoken to people that are not exercising and still loosing.

Thanks for replying. I'm new to this forum and still trying to figure things out.

Welcome to the forum. We are a friendly bunch, welcoming and always ready to say hi, offer support, or advice.

People react differently after the surgery. I know some people have a steady loss. I go in fits and spurts. Right now I'm in a spurt and have lost four lbs. this past week. I may sit at my current weight for a week or so then drop a lb. or two or I may keep dropping a few then stall. I can't predict it but I am losing more rapidly since adding the late evening snack my nutritionist wanted me to add. She said I wasn't getting enough in so she told me to eat something at around 9:00 PM, which I have, and since then I've seemed to lose more then I was before. I also struggle with my fluid intake but I'm trying to get to where I need to be. Right now I think I'm mildly dehydrated or close to it so I need to up the fluids. I don't want another IV.

[colloquial]

If I'm on the go (and I usually am), I hit the convenience store instead of the fast food. Beef jerky, almonds, and string cheese are my portables of choice. Greek yogurt too, though it takes some skill to eat that while driving :-)

[kj44]

i too am at almost 40 lbs lost at the three month mark. been feeling like i should be dropping much more. i do not eat very much and try to get my protein in..usually shakes and protein bars....i keep reminding myself that before the surgery i never got past the 20lb mark so.... gotta keep positive.

[Lola Belle]

Great job!!! You should buy small freezer containers and separate your prepared food into serving sizes and freeze them, then you don't throw out all that food and you have already quick prepared meals in the freezer, just thaw them out.