What's on your Photo Friday menu RNYers?

Good morning and Happy Friday to everyone!

Since so many of us are struggling with holiday gains and feeling fat, I thought that we could focus on how far we've come for some encouragement. I know that as I lost weight that I didn't always see it on myself. I had a picture taken each month when I had my appointment with the surgeon and that helped me to see that I really was making progress.

My family Christmas 2016:

Me, December 2018, as the Elf:

I am happy to report that the scale has inched down .4 pounds with some mindfulness. I didn't end up going for a run but I did do some hard yard work for an hour and a half, including raking and picking up the last of the leaves and forcibly ripping apart wooden fence sections with a crow bar. Glad I don't have to do that every day!

QOTD: How has your personal style/fashion changed since you've lost weight? Are there clothes that you would have never worn before surgery that now you love the look in the mirror? For those of you new to the journey, do you have an outfit that you're waiting to wear when you lose X more pounds? When I was MO, I always favored baggy clothes that covered as much of me as possible. Somehow I thought that if my clothes were baggy that no one would notice that I was obese. This holiday season I have worn several outfits, see the Elf above, and dresses that are form fitting and realized that I look nice. I even feel comfortable showing off my curves. It certainly is a real change of mindset!

Menu:

B: ham, HB eggs

S: Chomps or turkey breast

L1: TJ's chicken sausages

L2: Protein shake, small apple

D: I'd like to go out for dinner for a change from all of our leftovers

Exercise: an hour of heavy lifting with my trainer

Hi Janet, happy Friday! I have been off work since Dec 21st and I keep messing up what day of the week it is, vacation always does that to me.

In regards to what you said above about so many here on OH dealing with holiday gains I just wanted to give you all my two cents. If you are between a year to four years post op its pretty easy to get regain off. Wait until year 5 or more hit, then it feels like its impossible to get the regain off. IT DOES NOT GET EASIER the farther out you go. Stop the bad habits now from creeping in, you will be doing yourself a huge favour.

Such a transformation of you Janet from two years ago. Congrats on your hard work and dedication! Love the Elf outfit!

QOTD: Let's just say that how I dressed pre surgery was the complete opposite of how I dress now. Pre surgery I always wore the colour black, no bright colours or patterns. Never wore jewelry and NEVER ever wore a dress or skirt, I refused to wear nylons. Now I wear every colour of the rainbow, I have a ton of fun jewelry that I match up with different outfits, I wear dresses, skirts, and heels all the time. And I didn't own jeans pre surgery, now I have about seven pairs, its mind blowing for me and I am comfortable going into "regular" clothing stores and I don't feel like a fraud being there!

Time since surgery: 5 yrs 1 month

B: tons of decaf coffee with vanilla PP used as creamer and 2 turkey & cheese roll ups

L: cesar salad with extra bacon

S: two swiss baby bel cheese

D: 5oz of tandoori fish

S: cup of cottage cheese & cantaloupe

V: patches are on + oral B12

E: all day housework and a zillion loads of laundry

Have an awesome weekend everyone!

As a non morning person, this meme speaks to me

(((DAISY!))) Big HUGS!!! So good to see you again! How are Amy and Oliver? My three are doing fine.

Love to see you post,Daisy! And I love the meme too.

Nice to hear from you! I hope you are having a wonderful holiday and vacation!

Hi Daisy! Nice to see you! Thanks for the laugh - cute meme! And thank you very much for the warning about timing and losing regain. I really appreciate it.

Hi Daisy!! Hope all is well!

Good morning! I have to eat and get dressed soon to go for an appointment. I had some PS scars modified a week ago and the stitches come out today. Hopefully they will heal smoothly this time. Justice and Lavender amused me this morning by chasing each other (reversing the chaser a couple of times). Not like when they first met, but in play.

Here is a before and after for me. I am 1.4 pounds more than the after picture this morning, but my weight did come down a pound between yesterday and today.

QOTD: I wear a lot of skinny jeans and form-fitting outfits, as well as a two piece bathing suit. Though I always tried to look as well as possible in clothing, things definitely had to be more "flowy". And though I don't like the wrinkles in my arms now, back then I hated my round face and big arms. And getting shirts and jackets to accommodate my arms was always a challenge.

2 Years 9 months post-op (maintaining below goal for 2 years, 1 month)

Always lots of coffee...

B: eggs, cottage cheese and Canadian bacon

L: Lamb burger I think (out to lunch with friends)

D: Maybe leftovers from lunch.

S: cottage cheese, maybe some nut thins and hummus

Love the vibrant colors, and you look amazing!