Suzanne and Taylor Switch a Journey

07/10/2024

17/06/2024

First wow my freckles show up when I’m hot and sweaty!
Who loves a TMI embarrassment story? We’ll sit back, nestle in and get ready for a whopper!
So if you don’t know the DS surgery literally rearranged my guts… I will post a graphic in the comments that sort of explains it. Well since the surgery my intestines behave differently than before. In short, I no longer know what a solid bowel movement is, and let me just tell you… the smell is way worse than you can imagine. Based on what Ricksy Baby AKA Dr. Ricks says, this is quite normal. All of the DS support groups can also  corroborate this.
So yesterday started out as normal as a day could… I left the house I got about a mile from home and I got the inclination that I might need to use the bathroom soon. Now I must preface with a less solid BM I still usually have adequate time to get where I’m going, and this didn’t seem urgent. I however knew I was about to be busy and as much as I hate to use public restrooms for these purposes… I stopped at the QT.
I had a day full of plans from working in the early part of the day, then going to my friend’s daughter’s birthday party, then more work and Father’s day prep. I was dressed cute in one of my favorite summer dresses and ready to face the day!
Back to quicktrip… I get out of my car start to walk in the store and gravity started doing its thing and I was like, “thank God I stopped when I did”. Well the place was full and my bee line to the bathroom had twists and turns and short stops to dodge people and I’m literally feet from the bathroom clinching as best I could, but then IT happened.
I will tell you it could have been really bad but it was really not horrible. All the people around me knew was that someone farted, they might have even known it was me… it WAS NOT a fart!
I went to the bathroom and cleaned myself up finished up then I tried to pretend that nothing happened and go about my day. Until…..
One of my regular clothing complaints is that I can’t find underpants that fit and since losing weight it almost feels like that issue has gotten worse.
I go to Walmart before I head to the Party… I’m walking and shopping and my newly changed underpants start slipping… I’m still in a dress so I pretend to scratch my hip and pull my drawers up and I kept switching sides to keep my pants up. I bent over to pick up a pk of paper towels stood up and my underwear hit the floor! My Big giant purple granny panties around my ankles and it was busy in the store. I know people saw. I made eye contact with a few regardless of how hard I tried not too. Some people laughed others said “poor girl”. I am devastated!! Needless to say that was the end of me having a glorious day. I officially quit the day at that point. I’m grateful for my medical interventions to lose weight I wouldn’t be where I am without them but that being said it’s not all sunshine and roses, some times it’s weeds and fertilizer… literally!

08/05/2024

Girl dinner? No, truth is I have been struggling lately. Struggling with getting my protein struggling getting my fluids, struggling with unhealthy cravings, struggling with my mental health, all around struggling! I decided today the thing I could control was eating even though I don’t feel like eating a meal. I took my juice plus and I took my calcium (I can’t find my bariatric vitamins). I knew I was struggling so when I was at the store I bought some things that would be easy to grab, but then I wasn’t grabbing them. So today I made a grazing plate. It is not how you should be eating, but I am eating something. I have some summer sausage, salami, white cheddar cheese, Havarti, Colby Jack, bacon flavored laughing cow, cottage cheese, a few Doritos and some crackers. I have these sitting next to my bed right now and will munch throughout the day as I need. I am having a hard day and this is the best I can do for myself. Sometimes that is what it is about… do the best you can with what you have.

27/04/2024

So this is what I’ve been up to and why I have been absent… joyfully I can say we are in the home stretch….

I saw The surgeon,aka Dr. Ricks,aka Ricksy Baby on Tuesday….
I didn’t want to go because I felt like I hadn’t lost enough weight but he said I was actually doing great! He said that I had lost about what he would hope for at this point, and not to be so hard on myself! He said to increase my protein and water but otherwise I’m doing great and I’ll see him again in 3 months. The nutritionist had the same info for me so I will keep going and I’ve lost 2 lbs since seeing him….

My business has suffered through all of this month’s business, so if you need any Mary Kay or know someone who does… need a gift for someone for Mother’s Day, graduation, teacher’s appreciation let me know this weekend

18/03/2024

Trying a new protein today… it is… ok. It doesn’t hurt my stomach so that’s a positive, I think the fake caramel flavor is the problem but I probably would do well with other flavors… I will try this brand again for sure

16/03/2024

Since my serious weightloss journey started 4+ years ago a lot has changed about how I eat, what I eat and even when I eat; some things will never change!
Due to surgery portion sizes have decreased by over 50%.
I eat more frequently to get in my daily macros that are best for my personal body (working with medical staff to come up with the right numbers is a chore)
My diet is protien and fat heavy… yes fat! Due to having less intestine now my body needs more fat to help push everything through and help me absorb more nutrients from what I am eating.
My body no longer absorbs nutrients like it once did so I take several fat soluble vitamins a day to keep me alive (yup it’s that serious).
I’m always on the hunt for protien… I need a lot of it so I’m always looking for new options for protein.
I’m more adventurous in trying new things, I cook a lot more.
I still love most of the foods I did before and I still eat them but differently. I will admit this meal had a few more carbs than I prefer, it would have been fine if there was more protien to balance it.
But this is representative of a lunch I love and I still eat from time to time..
Half a Turkey Sammy on rye with stone ground mustard and a thick slice of tomato
1/3 cup full fat cottage cheese
Real Doritos just about 8-10 chips

All the “health influencers” and even the drs and nutritionist would say… you were doing great till you added those chips. They aren’t wrong either but this is what I have learned. When you deprive yourself of cravings you typically will find yourself in a weak spot and over indulge… I like Doritos, I now have them quite literally once a month if that, but I like them, so I’m going to occasionally eat them, in moderation, combined with a generally healthy diet.
Let’s real quick talk about chip alternatives that are created to get rid of the craving and then add protein… most of them taste like crap. Quest chips just as an example taste like straight up p**p I don’t enjoy them. It does not make me feel like I’m eating Doritos I mean I guess they’re fine for what they are. But they are not for me, so on occasion, I will eat the regular Doritos
food in and of itself holds no moral value… work with what’s available to you and do your best! Sure there are healthier foods and some unhealthy foods but a medium pizza at dominos is cheaper than me making baked chicken breast and a salad for two, and for some people money or the lack of it determines what they eat, or in some areas they don’t have access to fresh produce or good cuts of meat, if they are feeding themselves and their families they are still doing well.
My relationship with food has never been great and I’m working on changing that. My current mindset is, will this food give me the outcome I need, if the answer is yes I will eat it… mostly the outcome I need is sustainable energy, good macros, help the progress; but sometimes the outcome is I want to taste some Doritos

16/03/2024

Y’all it’s been a min… life has been crazy but I’m 2 lbs from onederland

17/02/2024

Today marks 8 weeks since surgery! I’m not going to lie I hoped to lose more at this point but slow is still movement! Today I can enjoy seeds and nuts officially so that means popcorn!!!!! There are no more progressions for a month when I can have meat that isn’t poultry or ground. I can have a drink if I’d like, and I can caffeine. But today I’m happy with popcorn!

10/02/2024

So here’s the skinny… pun intended but I’m far from skinny.
This is my important macros as of now for the day…I’m not counting carbs or sugar per the doctor’s and nutritionists orders. I am watching sugar and carbs as I am a diabetic but not focusing on it. My main focus is calories and protien. I need to be between 90 and 125g protein a day and between 1000 & 1200 calories a day. I personally am trying to stay at the 1000 as I’m not really exercising right now because I haven’t felt safe to do so yet as I don’t have anyone to go with me.
Mostly I feel good, i just get tired easily! I have to pace myself. I need to do better about getting my fluids in, but I’m getting better at getting my protien from food. I haven’t supplimentented any protien yet today and i am 1/3 of the way to my base goal I know my dinner will be over 30 grams so I may only need like one shake today which I will save for tonight!!!

09/02/2024

Tomorrow is week 7!!!!! Update tomorrow!!!

01/02/2024

Thank you all for following along on my journey… so it’s been a few days so I’ll give you an update!
Things that are bad…
My Gas is painful and it smells so awful… it’s embarrassing… I haven’t yet figured out which foods are causing it or if it’s everything. My dr called back and with the rest of my labs my Vitamin A is also pretty low as well so now I feel like I’m taking 1000 pills a day… I’m not but because things can’t be taken together I’m taking them all day!
Things that are going great:
I feel so much better! I get tired easy, but I’m moving more and lasting longer through the day.
I am able to get more protien in… I found that I like the fairlife core power the best. The flavor is good and it has 42 grams of protein starting Friday I can start trying lettuces and I can have toasted breads and tortillas. Still no more meats but I only one more week till ground beef! I’m most excited about getting Cereal Friday. I’m gonna try Magic spoon!
Weight is moving but slowly…. Im gonna stop weighing as much because it is driving me nuts!

24/01/2024

Weightloss grief part 2

13/01/2024

Weight loss grief… is that even a thing?! Yup it is and I think I’m going through it again! It is a weird thing, especially when it is entangled with other grieving…
There is also more of an emotional pull with that grief for surgical patients vs people who lost weight in more “traditional” ways.
Just like all grief, you must move through it and you never know when you will see it tear it’s ugly head