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Had my EGD today. One of the nurses taking care of me said she had gastric bypass 10 years ago. She looked awesome. It was great to see someone with long-term success. Sent from my SM-G950U using BariatricPal mobile app

almost five years out here. It is NOT the easy way out. The first few months aren't too, too difficult because most people lose their hunger for a few months, but for most of us, hunger eventually comes roaring back - and then things get a lot more challenging. And maintaining your weight loss is TOUGH - as tough as it was before surgery. It's just a tool that works as a strong tail wind to help you to drop a lot of weight quickly. But once you're there, it's a lot of work to keep it off. if you don't want people to know you had the surgery, then don't tell them. They have no right to know your medical history. I hardly told anyone - just my family and my close friends. and willpower is a myth. You are constantly fighting biology when you're trying to lose weight. Your hormones - your gut bacteria - everything is working against you. Only 5% of people manage to do it because you are fighting your body every step of the way. Luckily, surgery resets a lot of that, so it won't be as much of a struggle to lose it. It does make things easier - at least for losing it (as I mentioned, maintenance is really tough - I work at it ALL THE TIME). But even with losing, it takes work on your part, too. You have to be very committed to your program.

Hi, just finished day 4 of my pre-op diet. I do great during the day sticking with the shakes and water, by the time dinner is here I am starving!! Doing my absolute best to not cheat, being hungry at night is so hard. Any tips?

I think they mean 70% of your excess weight. For me that would have been about 70 pounds. But.... I lost over 100 pounds in 7 months, so I basically lost 100% of my excess weight, regardless of what the statistics and the doctor said. I followed my eating plan 100% and focused a lot on exercise. The stats say that those who follow the plan and exercise will lose more and will keep it off more successfully, so there is some responsibility on your part, although there are no guarantees. Even a mere 20 pounds will make a huge difference in your overall health. Your BP, blood sugars, and cholesterol will drop and you will extend your life. WLS is a step of faith in some sense. It is a great tool, and you can do your part, but the overall results are still variable.

you look great!!

I have a hell of a time trying to go to sleep when my stomach is growling at me. Water will help, but also timing your meals can be really helpful as well! I am not sure what your pre-op diet consists of, but I currently eat roughly 600 calories a day, focusing on protein. For instance, when I get up, I go as long as possible without eating, then I have a protein shake. Roughly 4-5 hours later, I have a can of tuna with mayo & sriracha. After that is highly dependent on when I plan on going to sleep. If my husband and I decide to stay up and watch our shows, I like to snack, so I've pushed my last meal towards that time (which is roughly 200g of fat-free yogurt) so I don't feel like I am going without and so that I don't feel hungry before bed.

Thank you for the feedback guys! I talked to my nutritionist and she seems to think I'm doing it right. So I feel a lot more confident. ❤️

Thanks very much, I told my Dr yesterday 2/19 and he said it is probably fluid it my stomach and that is normal. I will let him know your suggestion.

Adding an image for comparison. You'll be able to notice a huge difference with pics like this.

I haven't lost as much weight as you, but I can definitely understand what you are feeling. I have lost roughly 30lbs and on some days, if I'm not bloated, I feel like maybe there is a bit of a difference. I squeezed myself into something the other day that I hadn't been able to put on prior and still feel like I could breath.. My husband told me later that he could see the changes at that point (and probably because I am so used to dressing in baggy clothes when at home normally). I agree with you and others, though, about reaching out to a therapist. It's a big change to go through and you don't want to feel like you've done all this hard work, see a smaller number, but still think you look exactly the same. I am worried myself about still feeling like the 'fat girl' once I have lost the weight, and I think a lot of other people struggle with the same issue as well.