POLL: Two years later, come on in!

Where has all our Marchers gone? Now that we're two years out maybe life is becoming a normal pattern, the transition easier than it was last year or maybe life has completely changed and things have gotten too hectic to post often. Either way be sure to know we're all thinking about ya! How about an update to keep us all in the know of how things are going Starting weight, surgery weight, current weight, goal weight? Starting sizes, current sizes, loss in inches? Do you have any regrets since surgery? What has been the easiest and hardest things to accomplish? Any complications or new medical findings you've had since your 1 year anniversary? Any lifestyle changes you've made or have happened since your 1 year mark? Bad habit you've reverted back to? Any thing you wish you would have done differently during your post-op journey? Favorite post op recipe you make often (please share with us ) hope everyones doing well and Happy Surgiversary Marchers

Starting weight, surgery weight, current weight, goal weight? starting - 261.2, surgery - 250, current - 127.4, goal - under 130 133.8lb loss Starting sizes, current sizes, loss in inches? shirts then - 26/28, shirts now - large or medium depending how it fits around the spare tire pants then - 22, pants now - 6 Do you have any regrets since surgery? none at all! What has been the easiest and hardest things to accomplish? easiest - eating small portions, hardest - exercising on a regular basis & getting in my vitamins every single day Any complications or new medical findings you've had since your 1 year anniversary? i've developed reactive hypoglycemia which has made me learn that eating simple carbs will only make me feel especially white potatoes in any form! Any lifestyle changes you've made or have happened since your 1 year mark? - I've changed my eating habits by eating complex carbs and no simple carbs and look for any where I can add extra protein to a meal or snack (protein fudge, protein cheesecake, etc) - Had 2 foot surgeries in less than a month which has slowed me down and helped me regain a couple pounds. Bad habit you've reverted back to? Too many baked goods at times until I crack the whip and dump them out till next time they find their way back into the house in abundance Any thing you wish you would have done differently during your post-op journey? I wish I'd have gotten use to exercising regularly and taking vitamins every day Favorite post op recipe you make often (please share with us ) Banana Wheat Bread 2 cups whole wheat flour 1/4 cup wheat germ 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 1/2 cups mashed bananas 1/4 cup vegetable oil 1/2 cup sugar free honey 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 cup chopped walnuts Grease a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (175 degrees C). Combine oil, honey, eggs, vanilla, and mashed bananas in a bowl. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, wheat germ, salt, and baking soda. Make a well in dry ingredients, and add the banana mixture. Mix together until dry ingredients are moistened. Stir in nuts. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 1 hour in preheated oven. Test for doneness, and cool on wire rack.

sarting weight-362 current weight-147 goal weight--??? maybe 140 or 135 starting size--pants 32/34 shirt 4x or 5x current size-8/10 bottoms shirts s/m (depends on material and who maks it) dress-s/m bra--48dd current 36b regrets--sorry I did not do it sooner new medical issues--diagnoised with CIDP (the chronic fom of Guillian Barre') life style changes--I don't eat just to eat and I only drink about 1 cup of coffee each day sometime none bad habits--I have a coke zero about once or twice a month and I am eating more carbs--like muffins, tater chips, etc. I haven't gained but it could all catch up with me one day

Thanks for giving us a chance to check up on each others progress to date. Starting weight, surgery weight, current weight, goal weight? 339 / 300 / 183 / 186, I have been as low as 174, but that didn't last long. Starting sizes, current sizes, loss in inches? shirts 5x, now medium, pants, 46 now 34's, inches lost - 92.5 Do you have any regrets since surgery? I wish I would have done it much sooner. What has been the easiest and hardest things to accomplish? Easiest - walking for exercise. Hardest - seeing me as the size I currently am. I just don't see it and still think of myself as a very big guy, but I guess I'm not any more. Any complications or new medical findings you've had since your 1 year anniversary? None at all. Any lifestyle changes you've made or have happened since your 1 year mark? I'm more physically active now. Bad habit you've reverted back to? I eat way to much junk, bread, baked goods, snacks in general. Any thing you wish you would have done differently during your post-op journey? No, not really. I'm very pleased with where I am and how I got here. Life is great, Rick

Starting weight, surgery weight, current weight, goal weight? 289/261/169/159 Starting sizes, current sizes, loss in inches? 28 to 8's and 10's in the bottom 3x to medium or large Do you have any regrets since surgery? No regrets, best thing I have ever done for myself. What has been the easiest and hardest things to accomplish? Easiest losing 100#; hardest losing last 30. I have 10 to go. Any complications or new medical findings you've had since your 1 year anniversary?I'm a little anemic and vitamin D has been a little low. Nothing major. I feel great! Any lifestyle changes you've made or have happened since your 1 year mark? Even more active than last year. In the past year I have rode my bike 100 miles and gone white water rafting. I plan to learn to hang glide at the outer banks this september. Bad habit you've reverted back to? Evil carbs Any thing you wish you would have done differently during your post-op journey?I wish I had stayed away from the carbs longer. Belinda

Starting weight, surgery weight, current weight, goal weight? 465..................421/435..........185...................115 Starting sizes, current sizes, loss in inches? 56..................3/5jp...........? Do you have any regrets since surgery? Should have had it 20 years sooner and should have had the DS What has been the easiest and hardest things to accomplish? Easiest was to stay focused on the end result, hardest was to figure out what caused the plateauing Any complications or new medical findings you've had since your 1 year anniversary? Glaucoma and need new knees Any lifestyle changes you've made or have happened since your 1 year mark? No longer depend on other people for anything, moved out of Philly and got a great job due to my ever smiling face Bad habit you've reverted back to? Late night munching, I've stopped Any thing you wish you would have done differently during your post-op journey? Wish I had know earlier how to break the stalls and plateaus Favorite post op recipe you make often (please share with us ) I don't make it myself, but I've discovered how healthy Indian (Pakistan) food is

Starting weight, 357 Surgery weight, 336 Current weight, 165 Goal weight? 150 Beginning Stats: Weight: 357 Pant/Dress Size: 32-34W/30-32W Shirt Size: 30-32W/4X Shoe Size: 10WW Bra Size: 52DD BMI: 55.7 Current Stats: Weight: 165 Pant/Dress Size: 10-12 Misses Shirt Size: 8/10 Tank Tops Small or MED Shoe Size: 8-8.5 Bra Size: 36C BMI: 25.3 (WAHOOOO) Loss in inches? Did not measure that wish I did thought.... Do you have any regrets since surgery? Absolutely none other than not doing it sooner.... What has been the easiest and hardest things to accomplish? the first 125 lbs...after that the hardest was the rest.... Any complications or new medical findings you've had since your 1 year anniversary? my pcp has decided that HBP is genitic not weight related...so I may have to go back on BP pills.... Any lifestyle changes you've made or have happened since your 1 year mark? more exercise and lots of energy.... Bad habit you've reverted back to? unfortunately I can eat sugar...depending in the form it comes in...but I have not completely reverted back to it...I slip and fall and then I get up and dust my self off and start all over the next day.... Any thing you wish you would have done differently during your post-op journey? start exercise program sooner.... Favorite post op recipe you make often (please share with us ) Easy Crab Stuffed Mushrooms 3⁄4 of (1) 7oz. package of imitation crabmeat (shredded style--it has Omega 3 acids in it, and protein) 1 package mushrooms 1⁄4 cup of any mayo/Miracle Whip you choose 1 tsp mustard Salt Pepper Butter spray (I Can't Believe It's Not Butter) Parmesan cheese Pop the "tree stalks" out of the mushrooms and wash remaining mushroom buttons, set aside Pull apart shredded crab into small pieces, add to blender and add 1⁄4 cup of mayo/Miracle Whip to blender, blend 2 ingredients together Sprinkle salt and pepper in with blended crabmeat, add 1 tsp of mustard to blender, blend together all ingredients Place washed mushroom buttons onto pan, spray tops/bottoms lightly with butter spray. Fill all mushroom buttons with crabmeat mixture. Sprinkle mushrooms lightly with parmesan cheese Bake 15-17 minutes at 425 degrees "Val's" Chicken 2 large boneless chicken breasts 2 cans Campbell's cream of mushroom soup (option - low fat cream of mushroom) 16oz container sour cream (option - low fat sour cream) 2 cups bread crumbs (option - carb control or whole wheat bread crumbs) 1 stick butter (option - 1/3 - 1/2 cup smart balance butter) Preheat oven to 350. Boil water on the stove and add chicken breasts. Cover and cook for 1 hour. Let the chicken cool to touch on a plate. Once cool enough, shred the chicken into small pieces (I just usually rub it together between my fingers and it shreds). Add 2 cans cream of mushroom and 16oz container sour cream, mix well and spoon into a 9 x 13 pan. Melt butter in bowl, add bread crumbs and then put on top of chicken mixture. Bake for 35 minutes PORK STEW INGREDIENTS: 2 pounds boneless trimmed pork shoulder, cut into 3/4-inch cubes 3 tablespoons flour 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme 1/4 teaspoon pepper 6 carrots, cut into 1/2-inch slices 4 medium potatoes, cut into 3/4-inch cubes 1 cup chopped onion 1 large apple, peeled, cored, and chopped 2 cups apple cider 1 tablespoon vinegar 1/2 cup cold water 1/4 cup flour PREPARATION: Combine 3 tablespoons flour, salt, thyme and pepper; toss with meat. Put carrots, potatoes, onion and apple in slow cooker. Top with the pork cubes. Combine apple cider and vinegar; pour over meat. Cover and cook on LOW for 9 to 11 hours. Turn slow cooker to HIGH. Blend 1/4 cup flour and 1/2 cup cold water, stirring until smooth. Stir into hot liquid in slow cooker. Cover and cook 15 minutes longer, or until thickened. Taste and adjust seasonings. Serves 8. SCALLOPS 1 pound bay or sea scallops, rinsed and drained 1/4 cup lemon juice 2 cloves garlic, minced lemon pepper to taste Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Pat scallops dry with paper towels and place in a 1- quart casserole sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Bake scallops in preheated oven for 5 minutes. In a small bowl, combine lemon juice and garlic. Remove scallops from oven. Spoon lemon/garlic mixture over scallops and sprinkle generously with lemon pepper. Return scallops to oven and bake until firm, about 10 minutes. Serve warm. Servings Per Recipe: 4 Amount Per Serving Calories: 125, Total Fat: 3.5g, Cholesterol: 35mg, Sodium: 263mg,Total Carbs: 4.4g,Dietary Fiber: 0.1g, Protein: 18.2g CRUSTLESS PIZZA 3 pounds lean ground beef 2 eggs 1/2 cup grated cheese bread crumbs garlic powder to taste Mix all together and press into bottom of jelly roll pan, should be around 1 inch thick. Layer 1/2 to 1 can favorite pizza sauce, 1/2 cup grated cheese 1 small onion chopped 1 green pepper chopped 1 can sliced black olives thinly sliced pepperoni 2 small cans of mushrooms Cover completely with part skim mozzarella and bake at 350 for approximately 1 hour or until center is cooked through. This is a little messy the first night, but it makes awesome leftovers! My whole family loves this dish, husband and son each have 3 pieces. I have to fight to have some leftovers for lunch the next day. Enjoy! PEPPER JACK STUFFED CHICKEN 2oz pepper jack cheese 2 boneless chicken breast halves 1 t. Mexican or Taco seasoning 1 t. veg. oil Cut cheese into two 2 1⁄4 x1x 3⁄4 inch strips. Flatten chicken to 1⁄4 in. thickness. Place a strip of cheese down the center of each chicken breast half; fold chicken over cheese and secure with toothpicks. Rub Mexican seasoning over chicken. In a large skillet, brown chicken in oil on all sides. Transfer to a greased 8 inch square baking dish. Bake, uncovered at 350° for 25-30 minutes until chicken juices run clear. Discard toothpicks. 2 servings CROCK POT NAVY BEAN SOUP 1 medium onion, chopped 4 medium carrots, thinly sliced 2 celery ribs, chopped 2 cups cubed fully cooked ham 1-1/2 cups dried navy beans 1 package (1.68 oz) vegetable soup mix 1 envelope onion soup mix 1 bay leaf 1⁄2 t. pepper 8 c. water In a 5qt slow cooker, combine the first nine ingredients. Stir in water. Cover and cook on low for 9-10 hours or until beans are tender. Discard bay leaf. Yield: 12 servings This one's really good--flavorful and spicy... CROCK POT ~ SAUSAGE & TORTELLINI SOUP 16oz fully cooked smoked turkey sausage, halved lengthwise and cut into 1⁄2 inch slices 2 cups pre-shredded coleslaw mix 1 cup frozen French Cut green beans 2-14oz cans of Italian style stewed tomatoes, undrained 1 can Condensed French Onion soup 3 cups water 1- 9oz package refrigerated Cheese Tortellini 1 tsp. salt 1 T. red pepper flakes (to taste) 1 tsp Italian seasoning In a 4qt. crock pot, place sausage, spices, coleslaw mix, green beans, undrained tomatoes, soup and water. Cover and cook on high heat for 4-5 hours. Stir in Tortellini and cover and cook for 15 min. more Garnish with Parmesan Cheese Frothy Holiday Eggnog 1/4 Cup Egg Beaters 1/2 Cup Simply Smart Milk 1 Envelope No Sugar Added Carnation Instant Breakfast Vanilla Nutmeg + Cinnamon to taste 3-5 ice cubes 1 tsp vanilla Whip together at high speed for 15 seconds. Makes 1 cup. 16 grams of protein/serving PUMPKIN & PROTEIN PUDDING 1 pkg SF FF vanilla pudding 2 cups Simply Smart Milk (dissolve 2 scoops UNJURY in milk) 1 cup canned pumpkin 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice Blend all ingredients together in food processor, scraping down sides. Refrigerate and let sit for a t least 60 min. Enjoy topped with SF FF cool whip. Makes 4 servings. 15 grams of protein/serving CROCKPOT CHICKEN TACOS This is must have recipe for save timers as it can be set to cook on low overnight or during work hours. *Just a quick note - *I prefer to shred chicken 1 hour before completely cooked just to soak up taco seasoning. Also an excellent alternative to leftovers, especially turkey after Thanksgiving! Ingredients: 4-5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (frozen or thawed) OR 7-9 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (frozen or thawed) 1 can low sodum chicken broth 1 package taco seasoning 1 package low fat flour tortillas Favorite taco toppings: FF cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, etc. Directions Place chicken in bottom of crockpot. Pour chicken broth and taco seasoning over the top. Place lid on and cook on HIGH 4-6 hours or LOW 6-8 hours. Chicken should be fork tender when done. *After cooking, take chicken out of crockpot and dispose of liquid. Shred chicken. Assemble tacos and enjoy. Note: If chicken is frozen, cooking time may need to be adjusted longer Hope everyone has a great day... Love you all Jannine

Starting weight, surgery weight, current weight, goal weight? Start 288, Surgery 260?, Current 164, Goal: Stay between 161-164 (I have gained 8 pounds from my lowest weight of 156) Starting sizes, current sizes, loss in inches? Start Size 24?, Current size 8/10 Do you have any regrets since surgery? Only regret was moving out of state/losing insurance at 9 months out. I have not had the medical/insurance support for follow ups since surgery. Any complications or new medical findings you've had since your 1 year anniversary? no medical complications Thank goodness, since I lost insurance coverage... Any lifestyle changes you've made or have happened since your 1 year mark? Just always looking at protein first in my eating. Still limiting sugars (although now I can tolerate them). Bad habit you've reverted back to? eating bread This is my downfall. Toast every morning, and I don't need it, and its not protein, and I can't seem to stop myself from eating toast every morning. Any thing you wish you would have done differently during your post-op journey? Not really. Moving out of state was difficult for my journey, but the timing had to be the way it was in order to get rid of the Calif. house and buy the Oregon house (economically speaking, it couldn't have been done if we waited).

Starting and surgery weight: 359, current weight 138-145, goal 150 Starting sizes were 4X, 32-34, current sizes: 8 & 10, Medium Do you have any regrets since surgery? I wish I could have done it sooner. Sometimes I wish I had the DS instead of RNY, because I'd like to eat more than I do. I still fight those food demons. What has been the easiest and hardest things to accomplish? It has been very easy to reach my goal weight. When some people think that WLS is the easy way out, I agree, because in my case, this was the easiest "diet" I've ever been on. I have surgery induced self control. Unfortunately it won't last forever, but I've learned the proper foods to eat and know that I will use my tool for life to stay at a healthy weight. The hardest thing is to get it in my mind that I'm no longer the obese girl who has to shop at special stores with limited choices. I still see the fat girl in the mirror, and I wonder when that will change. Any complications or new medical findings you've had since your 1 year anniversary? I've been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. I might have had it before surgery and thought it was just because I was overweight. But I've read that traumatic events or major surgery can cause someone to have FM, so who knows, my surgery could have caused it. My sister has it, and we think our mom has it, so I guess it runs in the family. Any lifestyle changes you've made or have happened since your 1 year mark? I've been thinking lately about whether or not I want children. I still teeter back and forth, and who knows what I'll decide. That's the only thing that's been going on with me. Bad habit you've reverted back to? I eat way too much candy. I really need to stop. I guess if I start putting on weight I'll stop. I really need to get help with this issue. Any thing you wish you would have done differently during your post-op journey? I wish I would have added a regular exercise routine very soon after surgery. I have a lot of loose skin on my legs, arms and belly. I wish at least my legs and arms were more firm so I could wear shorts and sleeveless tops. Favorite post op recipe you make often (please share with us ) I'm not really a cook. I eat out most of the time. (Yes, I eat fast food and I keep it healthy! Most days I have either a chicken breast and baked potato or 4 oz of pulled BBQ Pork and an ear of Corn on the Cob. I'm a creature of habit. I eat the same thing over and over.) I guess if I would share a recipe it would be this: Chicken Taco Salad 1. Cook 3-4 chicken breasts in a Crock Pot, cover them in water. Cook all day on low. 2. Drain the water and shred the chicken. Put in fridge. 3. Next day, put the shredded chicken back in the Crock Pot. Put 1-2 cans of Chicken broth, and a packet of taco seasoning. Cook all day on low. 4. Drain Chicken and enjoy! I made this before I had surgery, and put it on a crust made with cressant rolls, refried beans, salsa and cheddar cheese. It was absolutely yummy!! My favorite thing to eat by far. Now I just weigh 4 oz of chicken, then add cheese, sour cream and eat it. Love it!