What's on your Thursday Menu, RNYers?

Happy retirement! Enjoy the celebrations.

Enjoy your party, you deserve it!

Happy retirement!!

I hope your retirement party was enjoyable. I didn't really have one, but just went out with my own group on the last day (2 of us retired and 2 left the company on severance).

Morning all! JB, glad that you are getting things done, including lots of fun, before you go back to work. I hope that you really enjoy your new adventures and that it is all you hoped for.

Today is hot and humid so not sure if I will go out for a lunchtime walk. I may do some indoor laps with running stairs. It at least gets me moving and my heart rate up. Tomorrow is back to the pool day and I can't wait! I want to do some laps but also just spend some relaxing time in the water.

I had my 16 month followup appointment with my bariatric surgeon yesterday and he is pleased but I am not happy with him. I was weighed (well within range) and he asked me if I was drinking enough and eating my protein and taking my vitamins. All of which I go well over his guidelines. He has stopped writing for bloodwork and offered no other information that I can't get from OH or my PCP, who is happy to do my bloodwork. He is always at least an hour late for my appointment and I am just fed up. If I had complications, I would definitely consult with him and I am committed to keeping on top of my levels even if I have to initiate it on my own with my PCP. I just think that I won't see him at least for a while. Maybe check in for a 2 year appointment.... Any thoughts anyone?

Liz, you and others have motivated me to do a CAMAW. I haven't gained any weight since PS, in fact I have lost about 2 pounds because my appetite has been off sometimes. I just know that my honeymoon is about over and I want to get better control of my "splurges" and even lose a few pounds (5-7) if I can. I know what I need to do and I am determined to toe the line again. Because I expend extra calories from exercising, my metabolism is high and I have been able to eat nuts and fruit and an occasional carb treat. That may not be possible soon and I want to be prepared.

QOTD: we often take long weekends away in the mountains or at the shore, but since I spent more on PS and we are going on a vacation to Santa Barbara in October, we probably will stay around home this summer. I'd like to do some day hikes though once my stamina is back to pre-op levels.

Menu: CAMAW here I come.

B1: vanilla Premier Protein shake, coffee

B2: scrambled eggs, 1 turkey sausage patty

Snack: Cappuccino protein shake, chomps

Lunch: white fish

Snack: beef jerky

Dinner: leftover steak from taco innards last night

Exercise: I hope to get in some short walks today

I still see my bariatric surgeon, but I know a lot of people on here switch over to their regular PCP after the first year or two. As long as they're doing all the required bloodwork (and you're not dealing with complications), it should be fine..

If he was willing to actually do something useful, I would continue to see him. I strongly believe that WLS followup is vital to success, but he just isn't doing anything any more.

A little tough love here. You are recovering from surgery- yes it takes months... and have lost 2 pounds. I don't see where you are out of control and needing to reign things in. Your body needs nourishment to heal. Wasn't your body fat like 19% or lower when you had a Dexascan? You are already at a low weight.

I understand fear of gaining and fear of the future but how is losing 5-7 more pounds healthy right now, and going to make your life better?

Just some things to think about.

Thanks for your input.Tomorrow is 6 weeks since PS and I have been vigilant in getting at least 120g of protein a day even though that means extra shakes.

Yes, my last Dexa scan was 17% TBF, up from 16%. My lowest weight was 117.6 at a height of just over 5', which is a BMI of 22.9. I had trouble stopping the drop when I reached goal (125) so I added in more fruit and nuts. In the 8 months since I reached goal, I have become more lax and allowed in more sugary treats like muffins and the occasional donut. My goal is to live moderately, but I am concerned that I am headed for the slippery slope to regain. I want to get back to focusing on protein with some veg and fruit.

After I hit my low, I have been staying within a 2-3 pound range of 120. The extra 5-7 pounds that I'd like to lose would put me closer to the middle of a normal BMI. Since I am so short, I want to be vigilant to stay within a lower range.

When I had my PS, the surgeon commented that there was no fat there to remove, so I know I'm doing okay.

Thanks for your perspective though.

So if there is no fat what are you losing?

Said from someone who had significant muscle wasting post- PS when I lost more 'weight'. We hope we are having fat loss. But are we? When I went back for my second dexa post-PS I lost 10lbs on the scale and it turns out that was 13lbs of muscle. (First dexa post-ps was like one month post 2nd plastic surgery) So my BF% actually went up.

The PhD biologist administering the test said 'I didn't know this was humanly possible ' Not words you want to hear.

Time between tests? 4.5 months. It can happen I'm a living cautionary tale, I am still working on reversing the trend of muscle wasting. Last dexa I just stabilized it. No gain of muscle. I am working on 18 months of trying to reverse what happened in 4.

This is not just for you, but anyone else reading. I can speak for myself I battle the fear in my brain constantly. But I also have to tell myself I did this to be healthy not just skinny. I am hoping to go for a dexa this coming month. I will be ecstatic if I actually gain muscle. PS. In order to stop the muscle loss I needed to - in bodybuilding terms- 'bulk' ie. Gain weight. Hard reality.

Also Dexa and BF% trumps BMI. A way better reflection of what is happening.