Sunday, September 18th

127.8, down. Calories good yesterday as I didn't feel much like eating with being sick. Did take a little nap and DH and DS #1 stepped up with the moving. Went to Costco last night and bought a new curved TV. Won't get it hooked up until the big move on 10/4. 

Have a sweet Sunday my VSG family.  Love you all!

Paula, feel better soon.

back from bright lights and big city, torrential rain most of the way.

food excellent but moving was the pits.

Happy Sunday everyone.  Am off to work.  

122's Yoga and steps good yesterday. Indulged in chicken wings with a sticky bbq sauce/glaze.  Volume was ok but I am sure calories were excessive especially after I realized that it was FRIED CHICKEN with the bbq sauce layered on top.  

I'm finishing up instant pot pho today.  I would never make it the traditional way (time consuming, etc) and even the instant pot version involves a fair amount of messing around.  But, the broth and meat freezes great.  Out of all the VSG friendly pre-portioned meals in the freezer, this is the only one that my daughter likes so I am happy to keep it around.  

I plan to yoga plus walk/skip/run. The light outside is interesting suggesting that some sort of weather is on its way --- it makes my midwestern roots think about tornados.  (Western WA generally isn't known for tornados, tho, so no worries)  Sunday morning yoga is held outside at a park so we will see what happens.

Have a skinny Sunday!

Shel

Sorry I've been MIA!  Busy 10 days of visitors and work meetings.  That also meant work lunches, dinners, drinks.  I feel good to have maintained through all this.  Currently at 182.5

Going to be strict this week, as I have some more weeks of full-blown work meetings, dinners, etc coming up.  Plus travel which is always a challenge.  

Overall, feeling good, trying to get exercise in.  Making good choices 80% of the time.  But I really want to move the needle down on the scale again.

Happy Sunday all!  Off to watch some NFL pregame & games. :)

Morning all. 116 for me. Poop problems partially to blame. Things are still feeling rather haphazard trying to get settled in at home and mastering the new job. It's very busy there, which is nice in terms of escalating learning, but I'm finding it tiring. Back there today, but will have tomorrow off to regroup. Diane S belated happy 65 to you!    Off I go

Greetings Former Fatties and Now Great Skinnies

130.5. Wish I could get that to go down. Well of course I can. Just gotta do it. 

Worked at the gallery in the am then home to watch the Cornhuskers beat the Oregon Ducks. I was sure the corn would lose but it was an excellent game. Its like a little visit back to Nebraska where we lived before transplanting to California. 

After the gallery I stopped at a little grocery store to get some humus as carrot dip. They had a bar-b-que set up outside that smelled good. So I got a pound of sliced try-tip. Just meat. It was well seasoned, tender and had minimal sauce. Really good and more than enough for two dinners for each of us. I will certainly do that again. 

Well happy packing Paula. Makes my back hurt just to think of it. House painter is in a dither because he can't find his biggest ladder. Left it at some other job. 

Well nothing is scheduled today so methinks the dogs need long walks.  Methinks I need more coffee..

Have a great Sunday all.  Diane S.

Hello everyone!!

142.2.  Up again, but still well within the maintenance range of 140-145 so I am breathing and accepting the scale and my new maintenance life!

Today is my last day of work before 8 days off- woo hoo!!  I am heading to Chicago for the American Association of Nurse Practitioners conference.  That stuff really gets my geek on!  I travel alone very rarely and this is the first time since surgery.  A few anxious feelings as in the past this would be an opportunity for tons of yucky food with no witnesses!  But this is a new me!  Planning to pack some Quest bars in my bag and I've requested a fridge in the hotel room for meal leftovers so I can get more than one meal out of things.  Anyone else have good hotel survival tips???

Hope you all have a great Sunday!  I am very sad to be missing the Patriots game today but there is work to be done.  :)

Love to all!

Heather

I have been to 2-3 conferences since hitting maintenance which wasn't all that long ago:  12/27/2015.  

One conference had such terrific food that I didn't need to worry about having an appropriate selection.  The other one was a carb-fest.  It is one thing to make do with one super carby meal but quite another to navigate day after day.  I would have ended up feeling starved and triggered. 

The very most important thing for me to think about is how I wanted to feel when I got home.  Were there certain foods/restaurants I was willing to practice my new VSG lifestyle on?(yes)   How much of that would my body tolerate before gaining? (I wasn't sure) Was I willing to waste money throwing out food, either prepared thru the conference or purchased on my own rather than overeat or eat the wrong things? (yes) 

Here is what worked for me:

•  As soon as I could, I walked/ubered to a grocery store to buy my usual go-to's.  Besides the initial WL phase, I rarely have protein drinks and don't think I have ever had a protein bar.  If your quest bars keep you happy, then maybe you are set. I needed certain routine foods and drinks. 
• You might already know this, but the standard hotel fridge is more cooler-like than a fridge.  I didn't realize this until a Marriott gal asked just how cold I needed things.  I said I needed a real fridge.  I am sure she thought I needed it for something like insulin.  I really wanted it for something like shrimp.  Still a medical reason either way, in my opinion.  Anyway,you might ask about it if it matters to you. 
• Until I was super sure about what was served for breakfast, I just had mine in my room with what I had already stocked. 
• Sometimes after I saw what was on the lunchtime buffet, I would grab and go from my room.
• Eat small.  Skip desserts.  Honestly, how great can desserts be if they are prepared for a hundred people?  It is, however, very difficult to stop at just 1-2 bites of even a sub-standard dessert.  
• I tried to get steps/activity in 2-3 times a day.  I sometimes used the hotel gym.  I walked the hotel perimeter on breaks.  I stood in the back of the room rather than sit all day.  I found an evening local yoga class.

I was initially worried that these behaviors would seem anti-social.  But, no one really cared.  I would guess that no one really wanted to talk about it because the vast majority were eating more than they knew they should.  I did stand out, tho.  I can't say my behavior was entirely missed. 

As I pushed away from the table early, I would comment that I needed some fresh air to clear my head so I would be prepared to receive more info in the next session.  AT breakfast CME's (so, not the main conference, an extra session) I would skip the free meal.  

I invited others to walk with me so I could still network.  I didn't like it when they said yes because frequently they would want to stop and get a food treat.   Sometimes I would say that I needed to check in with home, rather than I was grabbing a few more steps, yet again.  

What didn't work for me:  keeping non-vsg friendly food in the room, including what was left over from a meal.  I would lie to myself that it would be rationed out --- for "tomorrow" or whatever.  I couldn't handle being by myself with it just a few feet away.  Big mistake.  AT the next conference, the rule was that I could only have my "usuals" in the hotel room.

That was a lot of words -- you can tell, tho, that I thought/planned/fretted about this quite a bit.  It worked, I came back pretty much the same weight every time.   But, it an exercise in practice, don't beat yourself up if you aren't perfect ****rtainly wasn't!)  We are such newbie learners at this stage. 

You will do great!  

Shel, this is the very reason why you've had such amazing success!  Well thought out and lots of planning.

I am definitely planning to do my own thing for breakfasts because the ones provided are almost always muffins and bagels.  There are some lunch sessions but I will decide last minute if I should do those.

I did not know that about hotel fridges so thank you- I will ask!  I agree that keeping snacks and whatever out of the room will help.  I have committed to myself to leave behind the secret eating of the past.

Thank you again for taking the time to give me such a well thought out response!  Sending a virtual hug!

I was stunned to see just how long that post was!  

I did want to add that even tho I did this planning for weight maintenance, a side benefit was my head really was clearer for the duration of the conference, even for the afternoon sessions and on the final day. Like you, I am a total Geek for that kind of thing!  Enjoy!