Fred has settled down for now

Morning all,

I’ve had a dodgy few weeks with my tum (Fred) playing up every other day.

Since Friday night when he had a mini tantrum he has been on his best behaviour even when we went to My Thai for a meal last night.  He behaved immaculately and enabled me to enjoy part of a mixed starter and some sizzling crispy duck with Jasmine rice.  RESULT!!

Lets hope it continues tonight when we have a traditional Sunday dinner.

Even after his tantrums etc I still wouldn’t change a thing, I am 7 stone slimmer than I was pre-op and my sugars are stable.  I enjoy shopping for clothes and don’t feel a freak when I am out.

Wish my hair wasn’t so thin but hey ho things could be worse.

Bye for now.

Say no to spaghetti

So 5 years down the line I figured I would do spaghetti and meatballs for tea.  A very big no no!

Fred threw a dickie fit and I was ill for about 2 hours.  Fred is my new tummy if you haven’t followed me before.

Ah well shouldn’t complain.  Diabetic doc is so happy with my blood sugars and my weight is the lowest in 20+ years

Yes folks even after 5 years my tum still plays up on a regular basis but I am still so happy I had it done.

Protein, protein, protein

Afternoon everyone.

So today I just want to mention Protein.  Something we all need after bariatric surgery in large amounts i.e. 60 – 70g of protein per day minimum.

This helps to stop hair loss (more than already happens especially in the early months of post-op).

I have fine hair and noticably less these days but if I let my protein intake slide, my hair starts to shed again (good incentive not to).

I track what I eat on myfitnesspal.com.  I try to stick to 1500 caleries (as per instructions from one of the consultants) but mainly I use it for my protein intake which I have set at 76 g per day.

I let my food recording slide for a few months and definitely notice my hair getting thinner again.

I now use PHD diet whey (chocolate peanut flavour) – tis amazing and they have other flavours too.  1 scoop of this with 200 mls of  semi-skimmed milk gives a a nice 24g of protein and 185 kc (if you are counting calories).  One of these a day helps me towards the protein goal.

That’s all for now folks.

Take care x

 

 

Happy New Year everyone.

Just thought I would share that I am now 4 pounds less than my lowest weight after the op.

Not all plain sailing as I still have times when my food doesn’t ‘work’ and I have to stop eating and/or throw up.

I am on a new tablet for my diabetes because, even though my medication is minimal to what it was it wasn’t as good as it could be so I have been prescribed Invokana or canagliflozin which helps with blood sugars by making you ‘pee’ sugar out of your system.  A by-product is I am also losing a little weight too 🙂

Never let anyone tell you bariatric surgery is an ‘easy’ option – they really do not know what they are talking about.  It is often hard but I’d rather of ups and downs with eating food than basically be dead for over two years !!!!

 

Yuletide is a-coming

Good morning everyone,

I am not so good at posting on here these days for various reasons.  Life does get in the way sometime.

A brief update:

I had my op April 2012 and it is now December 2016.  I maintained my loss after being discharged from the surgeon until recently when I have put 4 kg on!!

At first I was horrified but then I chilled.  So look at what you are eating woman and sort yourself out!  Which I am now doing.

As I have said before “they operate on your tummy but not on your mind” and it’s your mind/cravings/habits that will contribute to weight gain time and time again.

I have also noticed my hair getting even thinner – so I started back up on MyFitnessPal to discover some days I wasn’t eating any  more than 34g of protein ARGHHHH.  We have to eat between 60 – 70 g of protein per day.

I now have a PHD Diet whey (Chocolate Peanut) shake (1 scoop and 200 ml of 1% milk every morning (177 kcals; 13 carbs; 24 GRAMMES of PROTEIN) – winner.

I have high protein soups or high protein meals like shepherds pie/Quorn/poached eggs etc so hopefully my hair will start to thicken a little (it will never get back to what it was).

Ending on a great note – being slimmer crazily gave me confidence to study for a PG Cert in Diversity Management and I graduated last week.  Slimmer than 4.5 years ago and loving life.

 

new tattoo to celebrate over 1 yr since surgery

Hi all

I went all the way to Northampton last week, to Alternative Art tattoo studio for my 1 year (ok a little late, I know) tattoo.  I had a small butterfly (my first every tattoo) covered over – what do you think?

I also walked/jogged  the Park Run again, 5K, and knocked 2.5 mins of my personal best.   Feeling good.

See you soon x

Nearly 4 years

Hi everyone

Sorry I don’t post often on here – life does seem to get in the way – and boy what a life I am having now 🙂

I have managed to still keep under the 90 kg I was when I was discharged from the consultant 2 year post-op.

It’s a struggle some times and I still have ‘fred’ playing up at least once a week – but you know what?  It is so worth it.

I love buying clothes; I love going out; I am more active – life is good.  True, my life isn’t miraculous – all the things that aren’t weight related still happen – the op doesn’t change all of that but in the words of the song “I FEEL GOOD”

 

Hi all

Sorry it’s been a while since I’ve posted.

I’ve been back to the gym doing core workouts (badly) – you only get 80% muscle back in your tummy after bariatric surgery and my 80% feels like they’ve stopped working 😦  I also do 30 minute circuit training and normal gym once a week.  I can see the muscle definition starting to make an appearance which is good.

I’ve also purchased a Nutri Ninja Auto IQ machine to do fruit and vegetable smoothies.  It ‘s not cheap but the reviews say it’s the best.

On Lean Green Ninja smoothies at mo with Kale, baby spinach, pineapple, mango, banana, water, ice and a few leaves of mint.  DELICIOUS.

To add extra protein you can add nut butter or unflavoured diet protein whey powder.   (it also blends soups)

I’m proud that I haven’t put any weight back on and still weigh less than when the consultant finally discharged me after two years.  I’m 3 years post op and proud of myself.  Don’t get me wrong, I could lose more weight if I was a little more careful in what I eat but with the Ninja machine and my foodstuff from MuscleFoods – I am doing okay.

Fred still plays up a couple of times a week but it’s a small price to pay.

Hang in there all you post-oppers and never give up on yourself but remember DON’T COMPARE YOUR JOURNEY TO ANYONE ELSES we are all different.

Pre-op people – read up what you can but then take your journey and go with the bad times cos the results are more than worth it.

Take care x

Spring balls and happy weight loss

Morning all

I went to a Spring Ball last month with my hubby and we had a lovely picture taken of us both.  Although in the media’s eyes I am no skinny minnie – to me I’m the best I’ve ever been.

I got weighed the other day (rare occurrence) and I have now lost 8 kilos since I was discharged from the consultant.  I am the smallest I have been in 30 years and I am 3 years post op.

I have been absent from the gym for almost 2 years due to my frozen shoulder but that has been sorted and I am back at the gym and easing my shoulder back into proper movement again.

I am one happy bunny.  A lot of people have put weight on about 1.5 years after the op and for now, I have to be thankful I haven’t.  Don’t get me wrong I put 5 kilo’s on after 1.5 years post op but I have managed to lose them and more.

The op kick starts your weight loss but maintaining is all up to you – never think the operation is the cure – it helps certainly but maintaining is down to you in the end.  Fingers crossed I can keep this up 🙂

At the Midland hotel in our finery

See you soon x

Nearly three years oh my

Morning everyone

We are in March and it occurred to me the other day that I am nearly THREE years post-op.  Wow

So what do I experience now, so long down the line?

• I still get times when I try to eat something and ‘fred’ spits his dummy out.  It isn’t even always something new, it can be something that I eat on a regular basis – bummer!
• I do have things I shouldn’t have, but not on a daily basis. I am normal and can fall of the ladder every now and again but…… I have maintained my weight loss (even less than when i was discharged from the surgeon)
• I have learned not to judge my journey and weight loss (6 stone) against any other bariatric person.  Why?  well we are all different, I was borderline weight of being accepted for this path so when people have lost 16 stone I used to feel worthless (What the heck was I thinking???!!)
  • As I said we are all different
  • some who lose so much were either a) 10 stone heavier than me to begin with and b) some who have lost so much are showing signs of an eating disorder as they are so worried of sliding backwards into old eating habits that they take it too far and really struggle to eat at all.
  • For you on the journey – remember that we can be referred to a psychologist at any time.  I had over a year with one who was a lovely woman and worked on my low self esteem etc.  I went in one day and said something had happened and I started (in my head) with oh no, not again, I’m worthless, stupid (select any negative adjective here).  She looked really worried till I said “Sh*t happens, get over yourself Mandy” and smiled.  I was then discharged but always with the premise that I could refer back any time.
  • I was a diabetic (still am) but my insulin is so much reduced that I don’t care.  I am one who didn’t come off insulin but instead of 99 units of humolog a day PLUS 120 units of Lantus at night – I have no humolog and only 14 units of Lantus at night – big change

If you look back to the beginning at my photo’s you will see how much I have changed.  My latest was a valentine shoot with my hubby in 1940/50’s gear.  I can’t believe how girly I have become.  Here is one of my favourites:

If you are just starting your journey – good luck and if you are on it – enjoy yourself – this is your new life – embrace it fully.

see you soon x