What a difference a year makes... (very long rambling)

Thanks, Lin!  Yeah, I looked into Dr. Sauceda, but DH was adamant that we'll find a way to pay locally (he loves my medical group, and sometimes wishes he had them too).

I'm currently getting in between 120 and 130 grams of lean protein per day what with shakes and the partial scoop in my breakfast yogurt, so we're looking for something with a little more fat, hence the peanut butter. Although it does scare me when I log my foods to see that I have 30-35% fat per day since the food additions rather than my 20-25%.  I'm just glad I don't dump on fat (although I do for grease).   But I'm keeping bars in reserve!

 Rebecca. you've done an amazing job with your WLS.  You should be so proud of yourself.  Yes, some may be that your body responded well, but I think more important is how YOU responded to the plan that you were given.   Looking at plastics must be so exciting for you.  You've had so many wonderful miracles along the way as far as your health and now the PS is going to give you the body that you've probably always dreamt of.

KUDOS to you for taking your surgery so seriously and working so hard.  

Thanks, Lee!  Yes,I know that my adherence has made a definite difference in how this is working, but I also know people (who I trust to be truthful) who have been as adherent, and had issues.  So I have to also give credit to my body for responding so well (or to me for choosing the type of program it would respond to? Hmmm... gotta think that one through!).

Plastics are exciting - I confess to thinking about how I'll look after... DH wants me in a bikini on the boat next year, and there are a couple women  over 45 who do wear bikinis on our beach - and while they don't look BAD, I'm not sure I want to join them!

It's a thrill ride for sure!

"From the boobs up, I seriously look like a starving refugee, and DO look unhealthy because my bones stick out everywhere."

I had that too. But then I stopped losing on the scale but the fat in my lower body moved up to my upper body and now I don't. This is very common. It's why I think it's better to wait on PS until your scale weight has been stable for 6-12 months, not the 3-6 months that all the PS in my area recommend.

I had a plastic surgery consult when I was 30 lb. from my original goal (just because I was at an OH conference and it was free) and the PS was talking about a breast reduction and lipo on the sides to suck out extra fat and said to come back when I'd reached goal. I'm so glad I didn't have the money to do it then, because I look so much better now and I haven't spent any money. I don't need a breast reduction or the lipo as all that fat is gone, for example. OTOH, I do need stuff done to the arms and that wasn't apparent when I had my consult.

From what I've seen of plastic surgeons, they don't really have experience with the weight loss part of it and don't seem to understand that the body continues to change. They react to the body they see in front of them. Mine is STILL changing 1 year out from reaching my final weight.

Thanks, Marie.  My concern is that I can literally pick up nothing but thin skin everywhere below the breasts down to the knees.  There are muscles, and if I pull the skin on my abdomen to the side, you can see there's a 6-pack under there.  Even my butt is empty skin at this point.

It's all GONE - and I didn't want it ALL gone, just most of it!

There won't be a breast reduction, because all that's there is a bag of skin with a duct.  Just for ****s and giggles, I used a caliper on it.  Now, these used to be firm DDs.  At this point, the calipers registered 1/4 inch in thickness 2 inches in from the edge.  They're empty - as is most of my skin.

I've added a 4th meal/snack for 3 days this week (today will be day 4), upping my calories to 2000 (I'd eat more if it fit), and still lost a pound.

I seriously don't know where this is going, but it's getting upsetting.

Well, some of us do have to do something to stop losing. This "your body knows what's it's doing" concept works for most but it's not 100%. I added in 100-200 calories at a time, then would wait a week or two to see what would happen until I had added in enough to stop losing. It was a deliberate process for me.

I ended up at 2000-2100 calories a day on average with average net calories of 1650. That works for me. I don't lose and I don't gain, except normal fluctuations mostly due to water, when I eat that much.

I track everything on MFP, too. If I didn't track everything, I would probably be one of those people who has trouble keeping a healthy weight because I wouldn't eat enough to compensate for my exercise.

Some things to keep in mind:

1) Bounce back - lots of people go slightly low, then bounce back anywhere from 3 to 10 pounds to their "happy" weight -- the weight their body likes to be and easily maintains.

2) Fat redistribution. Even if you can't see it, it's there. You've got at least 10-12% body fat as "essential" fat and probably a bit more. It will move around once the weight loss stops and the body tries to stabilize things.

3) Once you start eating again, a lot of your hunger mechanisms that turn off during long-term dieting, will turn back on. (My theory is that our hunger mechanisms shut down in self-defense once they realize we aren't going to be feeding our body -- usually about 2-3 months into the diet for me.)

4) Our volume of food is limited, but our calories are not. So learn to eat more caloric foods. I have to stop myself from buying the non-fat cottage cheese instead of the low-fat, for example, because I've been conditioned for years to always go for the densest food with the least calories. That doesn't work if you need more than 1200-1500 calories a day IME.

5) Lots of programs are adamant about 3 meals a day, but again this is not something that works for many people. I eat 5-6 meals a day plus workout fuel, for example. Yes, sometimes it does seem like I'm eating all the time, but that's what it takes to get adequate calories into me.