stratusphr Member

The only advice I can give is just start tracking your food, if you aren't and when I want to lose a little, I cut back my daily calories by 100 - 200 per day. It works. I also count NO exercise, it's just icing on the cake. I don't want MFP giving me more calories. :) Make sense? Good luck, you can do this!

Four to five weeks.

I am not bi-polar, but I too have family members that are. My grandmother gained weight on Lithium, that was the drug of choice back when she was living. She passed away in '81. There are drugs that can make you gain weight, if nothing else, there are drugs that make you hungry. I am on a beta blocker now, and am being…

I slice a lime into four pieces in the morning and my goal is to use all four. I squeeze one into a 16 oz glass of ice water and then I add 1 Stevia and stir. Very refreshing. Some times I use a lemon!

Absolutely, it's as natural to me as breathing. I also weigh every morning, I've been doing these things, as well as weighing and measuring my food when I'm at home.....every single day for over three years. It's part of my new life. My doctor and a PhD doctor that speaks at a support group I attend, both recommend…

I promise, you are not in starvation mode!! The doctor says that unless we are a prisoner of war, low calories or up and down diets are not going to mess up our metabolism. He said we had this surgery to eat less. Do it! I got between 300 and 800 calories for the entire six months I was losing. Only during the last month…

Obviously I should start with the older topics!!! You had surgery the same day as I did, only three years later!!! Congrats on your decision. You won't believe how different your life is a year from now!! Welcome to MFP. Make it a part of your new life. It's a must. I have my entire family doing it almost!! My daughter,…

Hi again! One question, what are the settings? Is it a "secret" group, where nobody can see posts and cannot find it at all, cannot see members? Just curious, I'm a member of two other FB pages, but only because they are secret and not open for anyone other than members to see!! :) My surgery is not a secret, I've told…

Good morning! All doctors are different, but mine doesn't focus on carbs, at all, unless he has a patient that isn't losing. I was three years out June 11th. I've been maintaining for two years 7 months. I need 1300 calories per day to maintain, if I'm above 1400 for more than a couple of days, the scale shows it. If I…

1200 calories isn't difficult to do, and it can be healthy but the important thing to remember is get enough protein!!! Salads should NOT be considered 'healthy'. You can add some healthy things to lettuce, but to get the most bang for your buck, eat a lean piece of chicken or a grilled piece of Cod. We won't even talk…

I'm three years out and need 1300 - 1350 to maintain. I've been in maintaining for a little over 2.5 years now. When I was losing I was getting between 350 and 800 calories per day, 60 + grams of protein. I only got up to 700 - 800 during the last month....which was six months out. My doctor never gave me numbers other…

I love cats too, we have our two babies, I call them "The boys" - my cat boys. Love them, Jack and Oliver. Jack will be 17 this year, Oliver turns 10 next month! You have a pretty baby!!!

:bigsmile:

Kids do need some fat, I think 2% milk trumps fried chicken nuggets at McDonald's......my grandson's pediatrician did tell my daughter, nobody over the age of 2 needs whole milk. They go between 2% and skim for him, but they always drink skim and she cooks with skim! He is a healthy eater, weird things that others his age…

You're welcome, good luck!!!!!

I hope you are going by your doctor's plan. You are early out. I was on liquids for the first week, full liquids for week 2 and 3. At week four I could have an egg, I could eat half, maybe. I could have deli lunch meat, cottage cheese, yogurt, but no fruit, there are seeds, even little black things in bananas, who…

We all have to find what works for us!! I love it that others play head games too!!! :) Thanks for sharing what works for all of you!! Have a good weekend!

Like you, I too have good restriction, that's half the battle right there. I am sure you can get to your goal. Good luck and just "move". Dr. Ashmore (PhD) was talking about exercise and just 'moving' at a support group I attended on Wed. Standing is better than sitting, and things like housework, parking out in the…

LoL - no kidding. It's not like we don't have enough head games going on without adding another one!!! So true!

I couldn't either, when I got into a 12, I thought 'this is it, I'll be happy if I never lose another pound' but then I realized I'd underestimated WHAT I could do with this new little tummy. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I could wear a four or six! Still, I'll hold up a pair of size 4 jeans, just out of the dryer…

We can ALL do this. It isn't a magic bullet, Dr. Ashmore said "A little paranoia is not bad" - the chances of me waking up ravenous and 25 lbs heavier is slim, but that is STILL my fear. Now I can hold on to it and not feel like a total nutcase!!! :)

Good luck to you and I think ALL of us can add something helpful to my "dashboard" to make it personal and maybe help someone else out!!! Have a great day!

Slip into a size 4 jeans. NEVER in my wildest dreams did I think that would be possible. Shopping is fun, being IN a picture and not just behind the camera, is fun. Not being the biggest girl in the room.....is fun!

I didn't use ketchup, but I have never used a lot of ketchup. I used salsa, mustard and when I could have tuna, I used a little Lite Mayo. I was VERY strict with myself until I reached goal, but if you use just a TASTE, very little....I think it would be fine. You need to keep in the back of your mind that those are a few…

I have a "gold card" from Starbucks.....does that tell you anything??!!!! ;) I tapered off regular coffee prior to surgery, and sadly, coffee didn't taste the same to me post - op. I had to do decaf for six weeks. I wasn't happy with coffee OR iced tea. Month #3 post op, my taste buds returned to normal and coffee was once…

Welcome to the loser's side!!!! You should be well on the way to recovery!!! I'm over 3 years out and doing great, loving my 'new normal'. Life is good. You won't believe what YOUR life will be like a year from now!!! Good luck!

I can shop at any store EXCEPT the big girls store. It is exhilarating!!

Hi Rose!!! Congratulations on your weight loss! I am three years out too, June 10th was my anniversary. I have been maintaining for 2.5 years. Do you still feel good restriction? Do you get hungry, I mean real hunger? I don't get hungry and I still have good restriction. I try and always "under eat" my sleeve, meaning I…

Rachie - I look at weighing like my "dashboard" on my truck, weighing every day, most times, first thing in the morning and right before bed....the second time is a 'game' I play, I guess what I'll weigh in the morning, but doing that, logging on MFP, they are my dashboard, they let me know what's going on "under the…

Thank you for the kind words!! You are all MY heros!!! If I can do it, you can too! :heart: