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Way to go, Jake! Your tremendous success should definitely be celebrated! You have transformed your life and gotten on a healthier and happier path. That is just awesome to me, and such an inspiration! Thanks so much for sharing so we could all help you celebrate!

I’m 17 months out and down 130lbs and feeling GREAT. Am I the only one that now love things that they didn’t care for before surgery? My new favorites are coffee and popcorn. I use these as bribes to go to the gym 😆

Congrats, Jake!!! You look amazing and so dang happy and proud of yourself!!! WTG!!!

🏆CONGRATULATIONS🏆

Thanks for the information

Sure, call her. I wouldn't ask what's wrong, I'd ask for an update.

I think you can go to Mexico for self pay bariatrics below the 35 BMI. I haven't heard of any in the states though. Just be aware that there is a reason that they have a minimum BMI. There is concern that you lose so much you could get close to underweight.

The very first time I felt the full impact of my weight loss was when I began to have A LOT more energy for tasks and activities I had long dropped because of fatigue. Walking long distances became pleasurable again and I encouraged others (mostly my thin & lazy teen kids) to join me. I believe it was around 190lbs (down ~60lbs) Next was when my super attractive Surgical PA said he wasn't worried about me or my progress, I was at the proper weight for my frame and I looked *amazing*. I could tell he really meant it by the way he gushed over my results. That was around 160lbs (down 90lbs) Another time, I was waiting in my surgeon's office about to discuss revision (from VSG to RNY to solve a few complications) and a prospective patient kept staring. Hard. He eventually asked me if i was waiting with/for someone and I told him no just my surgeon. I thought he was trying to *pick me up* but in fact he was confused that I needed to see a surgeon & was a WLS patient because i didn't look like it. (I've heard these types of comments several times) Two final events sealed the deal for me: My Bariatric surgeon and I decided revision to RNY was the best course of action for me but he DID NOT want me to lose anymore weight. He was adamant that I was at the right size and was already small enough at 155lbs & 5'3". (The revision went well and I'm maintaining in the 150s as promised.) Finally, I had Plastic surgery. At the Preop workup, I was discussing my plan with the surgeon. I wanted a Mommy Makeover- breast augmentation, Tummy Tuck and Brazilian Butt Lift. I wanted lipo on my back to transfer fat to my buttocks. He informed me that there wasn't much fat to lipo and it was excess skin that needed to be removed (instead I would need skin removal - a back lift and *maybe* after we could lipo my inner thighs for fat grafting.) He manually lifted the skin to prove it. I was shocked because I thought for certain it was excess fat but apparently I have thicker skin in certain areas. ****************************************** I took the long way round just to say that there were many incremental (progress) points that help me view myself differently/adequately and not just one defining Aha! moment. For sure outside validation played it's role and luckily I became receptive to complements instead of misanthropic because of society's new level of interaction with me (nicer, more welcoming) However, I'm unsure if I would have ever believed anyone's comments if I didn't begin to feel & see the change on my own first. Being kind, loving and accepting myself at every single stage of weight loss, instead of just at goal, really helped me. Good Luck ❤

You won't be able to do a bariatric diet as after surgery you can only get about 500 to 600 calories per day which is waaaaay to low with a normal stomach. I just did a reduced calorie diet using MyFitnessPal to track everything I ate. I started out with 2400 calories per day suggested by MFP to lose two pounds per week in July of 2019. After about a month I dropped down to about 2000 calories per day and was able stick to that. By November I was able to go to 1600 to 1800 calories per day. I did have days where I had a ton, I went to Vegas in September and took a break, but I got back after it when I got back home. I also started exercising 4 to 5 days a week. That also helped. Working on good habits prior to surgery will help you after surgery. So do what you can and build off of that.

I actually just searched things online... if I'm craving something in particular, I'll google bariatric recipe for blah blah blah and print out the ones I find. I have a 3 ring binder FULL of stuff that I love that is super healthy and high in protein made specifically for bariatric people. And I also have the cookbook above- it's got pretty good stuff in it, too. I've tried a few of the recipes and they turned out great!