Friday September 1

I can't believe it is SEPTEMBER already! Sure came fast! Weight 116, calories 818. I am working 1/2 day, then off for the long weekend. So I have another week before I have to put on fulltime hours. Luckily I am feeling the countdown to retirement now.

Mike, on daily weighing, I didn't do it while losing as the fluctuations at that point made me crazy (I needed to always see a lessor number), so I weighed once a month. I started daily weighing in maintenance, and it has been an eye-opener. Do I feel more secure when I see it stable or down? Of course, but I find that I am understanding my weight better (bathroom habits, salt intake, as well as lots of calories make a difference of course). For me, it is like a daily reset. I try to keep my weight in a range. At the very bottom I'll allow a higher calorie day, at the top I'll drop my calories until it is back down. It makes me feel in control. Even if I am at the top for a few days I know how to bring it back down. It kind of lets me work on things "one day at a time". You kind of have to because the weight sometimes goes up for seemingly no reason, but then can drop back by 1.5-2 pounds the next day.

Just saw that there was a post on this yesterday: http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/amos/6025195/Question-Trac king-weight-over-time-with-daily-weigh-ins/#50311996

Have a fun Friday!

Weight: 132.2
Macros: Cals - 1,616, Carbs - 174, Fat - 49, Protein - 112, Fiber - 29
Veggies/Fruits (goal 8): 8
Sleep (goal 8 hrs.): 3.5
Exercise: Yoga class

This is just plain weird! The scale is down again for a second day of lowest-ever post-op weight. Although this trend offers that old WLS frisson of "The scale is dropping!" this trend doesn't totally thrill me, mostly because I don't understand what's happening.

Another new development is that for the last few nights my tongue has been a little swollen, rough, and sensitive. I hypothesize that the recent weight drop and tongue dealio are related to my new iron supplementation. Although I'm taking only a single day's RDA worth of iron, I think that amount may be too much for me. So I'm going to conduct some science by stopping the iron for a few days to see what happens. Maybe iron is the new Weight Loss Miracle Drug.

On the intake front, yesterday I ate 5 veggies and 3 fruits and felt very well fed. My total liquids were 80 ounces (10 cups), although only 16 ounces were pure water. Today I'll increase the water to 32 ounces.

Hubby and I plan a quiet Labor Day weekend getting ready for company who will arrive on Monday. I hope you all enjoy these last days of summer however it pleases you to do so.

Today's theme: Self Care

I know you just had labwork, but I think sore tongue is reported with vitamin B deficiency....b12? Also maybe iron deficiency. I am sure you have already researched!

Speaking of research, pasted below is the dietician's response to my query about evidence based medicine and coconut oil. She knows patients ask me about this sort of thing so she is providing guidance on what I should tell them. I don't know if the AHA journal link will work. My workplace has a subscription to this journal so the abstract opens aok. Then I clicked on the article button for the whole report. Let me know if you (or anyone else) can't access but are interested and I'll send you a pdf.

I would advise against coconut oil ( or at least consider it equal to butter and use in moderation).

Olive oil is still considered the best choice; also nuts, avocados. I think your approach has been great.

A major focus is to substitute healthier fats for the saturated fats rather than replacing them with carbohydrates.

Here is the latest analysis and recommendation by the AHA, in Circulation, 2017. See page 13 for specifics addressing coconut oil.

http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/early/2017/06/15/CIR.000 0000000000510

Here is also a response to the criticism of the AHA position:

http://www.snopes.com/2017/06/28/aha-coconut-oil/

Thank you, Shel, for all of this. And yes, the PDF downloaded just fine for me.

BTW, my B-level(s) are very, very good. Oddly, the internet says that an iron deficiency causes those tongue issues. But my issues appeared only a few days ago AFTER I started taking iron.

The science experiment here continues. :)

P.S. Mike / Duffman -- Shel is a pharmacist. She knows all kinds of s**t. :)

Yes, this is what we teach our patients as well. No coconut oil as it is a saturated fat. We preach monounsaturated fats as the way to go - canola and extra virgin olive oils mostly!

Weight: 160.6

We are going to find out the baby's gender today!! I'm really rooting girl, but obviously I'll be excited for either.

I have 2 sisters and 4 nieces so we're all girl. Everyone's guesses seem to use the same reasoning but come to opposite conclusions, either: they're all girls, so this will be a girl, or: they're all girls so this has to be a boy! My husband has a son and a daughter, so as far as I'm concerned they cancel out! Baby's heart rate has been really high, but I've heard that old wive's tale is bunk.

I've been thinking a lot about not thinking about weight maintenance/loss. And this is so crazy. It's the first time in my life I've not been trying to lose or maintain! And it's really frustrating to me!! I almost have an "oh well, go crazy" temptation. Which, obviously I don't want. On the one hand, I'm shocked I've gained 6lbs. already since a tiny baby's needs are so small. On the other hand, considering that I haven't been sick, and considering what I've been eating, I'm kind of shocked it's not more! I think a lot of it comes down to sleevie!! I cannot eat like a pregnant lady! Now I'm knocking on wood--that's not to say I can't gain weight--but I cannot sit down to a plate of enchiladas and consume it. So I think my trouble is actually going to be eating healthy food. I've noticed that I'm hungrier, but the foods I grab (like a snack bag of chips, or a granola bar) aren't filling. All this to say, I'm wondering if I can use some of my planning/charting tools for pregnancy. I mean, I want to trust my body, but I never can!! I know my maintenance calories is about 1700. I'm supposed to eat about 300 additional. What if I eat 2000 plus anything I burn from exercise. That sounds like a crapton of calories, especially if I actually eat nutrient-dense foods. But maybe if I'm eating breakfast-400, lunch-500, dinner-500, 2 snacks of 300 or 3 snacks of 200. I feel like if I work from that, maybe I can keep it healthier. Just a thought. But even typing this makes me think "yikes that's a ton of food" but I'm sure it adds up way faster than I know.

As you know early on most of the weight change isn't in the baby: it is the changes in your uterus, breasts, extra blood vessels, etc (body getting in place to nurture this little child). So exciting to find out if the baby is a boy or girl. We had all girls until the last so I felt more comfortable with that, but my son has always been in love with me (not so my daughter's especially during the early teens).

Try not to overthink the food (easier said than done I know). Eat the healthy stuff first and the not so healthy stuff hopefully won't call out as much. I actually did better during my one pregnancy than afterwards (the other 3 children were 1 step child and 2 adoptions). I gained a ton of weight AFTER they were born (when adjusting to a change in lifestyle).

You will need to report back to us if it is pink or blue!

Having gone through IVF a few times, I know how much the uterine lining increases and it is a crazy lot! Plus all the other changes and the water your body needs to retain. Just think of everything that you eat as feeding your baby, that should help. As I think I mentioned in an earlier post, I had my brother and sister-in-law trying to make me eat brussel sprouts. I wouldn't eat a brussel sprout for my own baby!

Greetings Maintenance Peeps

Well its like clockwork. Dinner was two slices of a small cheese pizza and I am up a pound to 138.5. Happens every time. I seem to be slowly but steadily gaining weight and I have to put a stop to it. And tonight is a gallery event that I have to work so there will be snack food galore. Didn't help that I spent hours yesterday at bank and computer so little motion involved. Not a good trend and its up to me to cool it. I even had baby carrots and 2 cheese sticks for lunch yesterday. Hardly a pig out. Ann maybe I should take iron! Actually I have always had good iron levels even as a younger woman.

In the past two days I have found out about two investment accounts my mother had that I didn't know about. Very odd indeed. Then I got a call this morning about an IRA of my own that I had forgotten about. They just wanted to confirm an address which they already had so I hope it wasn't a phishing call.

Just learned that one of our former art gallery members died last night. He had a brain tumor so it was expected but wow, what a creative and fine person. It makes you think about life - like DO IT NOW!!!

Well BB I am excited for your baby. I often feel like eating a plate of enchiladas and I have no excuse for ! Hope you will enjoy these months and not beat yourself up on food. Don't forget that you will be eventually chasing a toddler about which is quite a work out. I see young women carrying little kids around and wonder how they do it!

Good health to all. Diane S.