(August 1, 2018 at 4:57 pm)Shell B Wrote: Emjay, I just remembered another trick I used-sugar free hard candy. You can't eat when you're sucking on candy.

Everlasting gobstoppers, here we come (They're actually a thing apparenty, post fictional Wonka... wonder if they have a sugar-free variety )

Sounds like a good idea... or lollies might be better for me since there's less worry of accidentally swallowing them (the main reason why I usually don't eat boiled sweets, or gobstopper type things... unless it's like the novelty one I had as a kid, which was about the size of a cricket ball and just as hard... you wouldn't want this thing coming at you at high speed any more than a cricket ball ). The other benefit of lollies is the stick, which could act as a prop for smoking, not that I really feel I need that at the moment.

I go to a specifically candy store near here to get sugar frees. They have lots to choose from. I also got like veggie chips so I could stave off salty cravings with a slightly healthier alternative.

My waist is down a few more fractions of an inch. It's about 40.75'' I hope this keeps up when I'm fully recovered from this cold and getting 8 hours of sleep.

(August 2, 2018 at 10:57 am)Shell B Wrote: I go to a specifically candy store near here to get sugar frees. They have lots to choose from. I also got like veggie chips so I could stave off salty cravings with a slightly healthier alternative.

Whenever I want to buy sweets in bulk... not to eat all at once you understand (in theory )... but to snack on over a few months... I usually get them online. And just looking at one of those sites, it does have the means to filter products by sugar free (and gluten free etc)... so yeah, that looks a good possibility. The only problem for me is that I generally hate the taste of sugar free sweets... sugar free polo's for instance are horrible... and I don't want to spend my entire life on the toilet because of the laxative effects of most sweeteners I read in a fitness mag about this stuff called Stevia... a natural, zero calorie replacement for sugar (and apparently hundreds of times as sweet) or artificial sweeteners like aspartame... and without the laxative effect (I think.. by inference, and if taken naturally rather than as part of some other product that adds other stuff). But googling it it has drawbacks as well... the main ones being decreased fertility (apparently used in some cultures as a form of birth control... in large doses) and someone's blog said they basically got addicted to it on top of it stopping her periods... so she originally was excited to use it for all it's purported health benefits, but after extensive use decided to cut it completely out of her diet. Anyway, in moderation it's supposed to be fine, but when dealing with sweet stuff it's not always easy to find moderation is it? Anyway, just saying that's another option... which albeit was decidedly more appealing before I did that research. But nonetheless I did find that you can buy Stevia sweets... on Amazon surprisingly. It's not like I'm planning on gorging on them but if I could find a sugar free alternative to extra strong mints, that would be great for my mecidinal need of mint. But perhaps even better would be if I could just find some sort of mint inhaler or even cough medicine/sweets.

Did my intake and met with the surgeon - same one who did my wife's RNY bypass. I'm in the program. Meeting with the nutritionist next.

(July 30, 2018 at 10:28 pm)Cathooloo Wrote: My wife is down 42 lbs, most of it in the last 9 weeks.  It hasn't been easy at all for her but it's getting better.

More than 5 pounds a week is insane (good kind). Very happy to have you both in the world for a good long time now.

Keep up the good work, Kitty!

I have some milestones to meet.  I don't see any of them being a problem.

For some reason I've been feeling really low the last several days. I want to eat bad stuff.

I gained almost four pounds. I'm going to call my doctor about a med change.

I have put on about 10 lbs total in the last 5 years. I cannot seem to get rid of it, and since hitting my 40's I feel hungrier than I ever have before. Not really effin fair.

At any rate, I've hit on something that helps me avoid high calorie sweets. Dark chocolate. Like, actually dark. When I'm just fidgeting and desperate for something, like near tears desperate, one small square can really make me feel better, and I don't have the urge to eat the whole bar either. It doesn't trigger the sweet cascade that sugar free candies do.

I've almost entirely cut out bread. This is my only big nutrition change. for instance, no pizza. When my family orders pizza, I get a salad with vinaigrette dressing. Completely natural yogurt with fresh fruit in the morning, cheese and veggies for lunch, veggies and maybe a small helping of whole grain pasta or potatoes for dinner. I drink one HALF cup of OJ in the morning, and water the rest of the day. If I'm desperate for a snack I go to pickles or fresh tomatoes. Few snacks. But you know what, this isn't a diet for me, this is the way I normally eat (except I used to eat a bit more bread/pasta). But really, I always ate small portions, and I've never been a big sweet eater. I also exercise more now than ever, because we have no car so I have to walk 1 to 5 miles per day, and I carry all groceries home on my back.

And I'm still gaining weight instead of losing it. I literally don't know what to do, because I refuse to "diet", as I know that simply does not work. What other lifestyle changes can I make? Suggestions?

p.s. Eff you middle age.

(August 5, 2018 at 10:07 am)Aroura Wrote: I have put on about 10 lbs total in the last 5 years.  I cannot seem to get rid of it, and since hitting my 40's I feel hungrier than I ever have before.  Not really effin fair.

At any rate, I've hit on something that helps me avoid high calorie sweets.  Dark chocolate.  Like, actually dark.  When I'm just fidgeting and desperate for something, like near tears desperate, one small square can really make me feel better, and I don't have the urge to eat the whole bar either.  It doesn't trigger the sweet cascade that sugar free candies do.

I've almost entirely cut out bread.  This is my only big nutrition change. for instance, no pizza.  When my family orders pizza, I get a salad with vinaigrette dressing. Completely natural yogurt with fresh fruit in the morning, cheese and veggies for lunch, veggies and maybe a small helping of whole grain pasta or potatoes for dinner. I drink one HALF cup of OJ in the morning, and water the rest of the day. If I'm desperate for a snack I go to pickles or fresh tomatoes. Few snacks. But you know what, this isn't a diet for me, this is the way I normally eat (except I used to eat a bit more bread/pasta).  But really, I always ate small portions, and I've never been a big sweet eater. I also exercise more now than ever, because we have no car so I have to walk 1 to 5 miles per day, and I carry all groceries home on my back.

And I'm still gaining weight instead of losing it.  I literally don't know what to do, because I refuse to "diet", as I know that simply does not work.  What other lifestyle changes can I make?  Suggestions?

p.s. Eff you middle age.

One thing I've discovered is I need to work out beyond just walking.  I need something aerobic.  I need to work with weights.  And I need to do something for flexibility.  So I go to the Y at least three times a week and usually more often.  I find I can break a sweat on the reclined stationary bike without bothering my knee, I use their weight machines and I attend a Pilates class twice a week.  For the longest time I thought taking long walks with the dogs and staying active in the garden was going to do it.    But this is better.

But if you actually want to lose weight the sacrifice in calorie intake you have to make as a woman is just plain unfair.  It sounds like you're already eating very healthily both in terms of choices and quantity.  Maybe others will have be able to advise better.