It's Monday - Weekly Check -in

Hi All! I'm not sure if someone likes to take lead on this post but since it's not up yet this morning I thought I would...mostly because my scale FINALLY moved!!! I've been hanging around at 155-160 for the last three months and my scale finally says 152.8. Yippee!!! So my plan for the week is to stick with the low carb (under 30 grams) eating. I had said to myself that if it didn't do anything after two weeks of sticking with it very strictly that I was going to give it up. I really miss fruit!!! But I think it probably is doing the trick so I'll see if it can help me drop these pesky last 10 pounds. Of course I'll also stick with my workout routine. I'm in Vancouver BC right now and usually can use any excuse for why I'm not working out but I got myself to the hotel gym this morning for my cardio workout so yay me Good planning to all this week. Let's make it another great one! Corinna Q

Thanks for starting the thread. I was at 141 this morning. I have a renewed desire to do this the right way. I started tracking my food again and really watching the carbs. I am scared to death that all of my overeating the last few weeks has stretched my pouch and stoma. I saw a TV show how the pouch can enlarge to half the size the stomach used to be. That did it for me! Scared me straight! Here's to a better week Wanda

Wanda, That is enough to be scared straight! I was so full the other night I was thinking about what I must have done to mine. In fact, when I went to that OH seminar a month ago, the most popular subject during the WLS surgeon's talk was about a new procedure that "tucks" in the stoma to make it harder for food to pass through. I then saw the procedure on an episode of Big Medicine. They go through your mouth so there's no cutting. The most disturbing thing to me that day was that so many were so interested in it. They were asking about the price, whether insurance paid, etc. These were people who were several years out, evidently. It scared the holy h@ll out of me to hear these things because the last thing I want to do is regain but this is getting harder and harder to me and I find it too easy to eat too much and too often. We all need to commit to get back to what we were doing that WORKS! Good job, Wanda, with tracking you food again and getting back on track! You are a STRONG and DETERMINED woman who has the ability to do anything she wants so I know you can do it! I briefly read your other post and was thinking that you've had so much stress in your life lately that it's understandable why you have felt your eating is out of control. You've been worried about your daughter and grandson. Just thinking about taking custody would have put me in a tailspin but you're also worried about your daughter's less than perfect marriage and the fact that she won't break ties with him. After being through a long terrible marriage yourself it must hurt to see your daughter going through it. Also, Randy is gone so much and even though Hank is home on weekends, he left again this morning for the week. It's too easy to just graze when they are gone! And, even if we know it's their jobs that keep them away, I sometimes feel a little sorry for myself when he's gone! And, a little lost! On top of the above mentioned stress, you've been through so much with the PS breast issues. What's the latest update on that? Man, I got on Makemeheal.com and started reading up on face and eye lifts and what an EYE opener that was!!!! Geez, had I read all of that beforehand, I wonder if I would have had the eyes done at ALL! I did find a couple of techniques to help with my problem and I think they are actually helping so maybe you should browse that site! Keep strong, Wanda! CeCe CeCe

Hi All, After being MIA for a few weeks (or maybe longer?), I have decided to post. I am having trouble getting my weight down, I'm having a big problem with some edema that was there way before I had surgery. All of a sudden, the diuretics I have been on for close to four years are not working as good as they used to. She (nephrologist) increased one of my diuretics (the one that retains the potassium) but now it's making my blood pressure bottom out. I am really trying to watch my sodium intake (didn't realize I was eating that much salt!) and trying to stick to a diabetic diet. But the carbs are outrageous!! According to a 1200 calorie diet, I can have 150 g of carbs!! Way too much!! So I think I am going to try one of the low carb diets. I see that some of the girls here are on it. Does it help? Is it very restrictive? My eating is way out of control and I need to get a handle on it. I feel bloated most of the time, and I can't go more than an hour or two at a time without something in my mouth!!! Red flag!! Is anyone else having these problems? I was reading Wanda's post and I, too, feel like maybe my pouch has been stretched. I don't want that to happen!! Can someone recommend a good low carb diet to follow? I'm leaving for Disney World tomorrow so I will start it after I come back on the 9th. How is everyone else doing? Hugs, Deidrah

I would just get one of those little books that list nutritional content and count your carbs and protein. I use my Palm program that I downloaded to my phone. A lot of people use fitday.com. If you like a structured diet, Atkins is the father of low carb diets. South Beach is low carb for two weeks, then smart carbs after that. I was so careful with my carbs all day but I still ended up with 30. It's so hard to keep them below 20, which is what these diets recommend for the first two weeks.

Deidrah, I was asking about you in a post a week or so ago so it's so good to see you posting again. How are you and how's your sister? As to the bloated feeling, yes, I have that! Even though I've had a hysterectomy and my leftover ovaries aren't supposed to be working due to my age, I have a week or so a month when my weight can jump up, I feel VERY bloated no matter what and I just feel like I'm living under a black cloud!!! So, track your bloated feelings for a while. See if they are worse at certain times of the month. Starchy carbs can also bloat you. Some days I do get in 150 carb grams but I eat a lot of fruit (I'm a sugar addict!) and not many starches. If I eat part of all of a white potato or a sweet potato I feel the bloating much more than I feel if the carbs aren't starchy. Still, sometimes you need a little starch to satisfy you. I do eat baked sweet potatoes with I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Spray and a little salt. I'll buy a big one and 1/2 it with my husband. Those are very satisfyling and are lower on the glycemic index than regular potatoes plus you don't have to add sour cream and all the good stuff! Some restaurants serve them but try to add brown sugar and cinnamon. Just skip those and you'lll be fine! Corinna is doing great on the really low carb diet so she may have some great advice on that! I find it hard to go too low. I feel it quickly in my strength training - I tire quickly. I try to find the right balance so that I still don't crave too many foods but I have energy. Try increasing your protein but get plenty of fluids too to keep that edema down. I retain fluid very easily too and take a diuretic daily so I know what you are going through. It's scarey that they increased it and your BP bottomed out though. Take care and please keep posting! CeCe

Hi CeCe and gang, As usual, I've gotten some really great advice from the ladies on this board. I really appreciate the support and encouragement. It helps keep me going! I've had a hysterectomy too (since my WLS) so I'm pretty much bloated ALL the time. But I think it's from all the carbs I am eating (and can't seem to stay away from!). I don't mind the low carb diets but I LOVE fruit and my favorite fruits have so many carbs in them. But I think I may try a combination of low carbs and smart carbs. My sister and my family are doing good, well as good as can be expected at this point. We are leaving for Disney World today to celebrate my niece's graduation and my daughter's 21st birthday. Everything was fine up until last night when it hit my sister all of a sudden. They (my sister and brother-in-law and niece) went to DW every other year so it will be tough without him. But we are gonna make it thru (I hope!). When I get back on the 9th, I plan on getting back to exercising seriously and begin watching my carbs. Hopefully I will have some good news to report in the next weeks. Hope everyone has a great week, Deidrah

Well my scale read 172 this morning - which I think is the same weight wise as last week but i don't feel good about what I'm eating and I am going to rein in before it gets out of control. Boy habit are easy to slip back into - aren't they?

Trudy, Yes, old habits are far too easy to slip back into! I get sick of reading that you can develop new habits in 21 days! Heck, it's hard to stick with new habits after almost 600 days!!! I know none of us is ever going to eat perfectly 100% of the time but we've got to strive for the highest percentage we can and plan for those indulgences that we know are coming up! Trudy, is there any news on the job possibility? How's the exercise going? CeCe

Amen to that!!! I don't want to read how new habit are in stone after 21 days - WRONG!!! I can do slip back into an old habit - ONE time and BAM.... I work constantly on not trying to be a perfectionist. No new job information. Exercise is... sporatic! Trudy