juliarh

Interesting question -- my youngest son struggles with his weight -- he's always been on the heavy side (he's adopted) -- my other two kids(one biological, one adopted) have relatively normal weight for their sizes -- but my youngest has packed on the pounds whenever junk food is around. So I don't think my bad habits had any direct impact on them -- (I hope not, anyway). But in an effort to make sure it didnt, after my surgery, I swore off soda at home (even diet), I have not bought any pre-packed stuff, no frozen foods (except for veggies and fruit), that kind of thing. I was recently talking to my hubby and I mentioned that I was grateful for my surgery because I thought I probably would have died at a much younger age -- John, my son, is very sensitive even at 12, and got very emotional and gave me a big hug and said, "I'm so glad you lost weight because now your kids can have you longer." I hugged him back and said that I was glad too, and I hoped he would take good care of himself so that his kids wouldn't worry about him too. I think the message kind of sunk in because he's trying to avoid bad foods and only eat good stuff. Unfortunately, as we all know too well, it's so easy to give in and go for the easy to prepare, easy to eat foods -- but they are soooo bad for us. I guess the lesson I've learned is to be a conscious eater and not an unconscious eater.

Ok, well the thing I do almost everyday besides low carbs is I journal my food on fatsmart.com --- it's really easy and fast. It gives me all my calories for the day, all my net carbs, my Protein, etc. I think it's helpful to see just how much you're eating or not eating -- sometimes I find that when I'm under eating, I don't lose weight, but when I keep it in the 800 - 1000 calorie window and have lower carbs, I tend to lose more . . . just a thought.

I don't really have a secret -- I do eat low carb (I know it's not for everyone, but it works for me) - I find I have a tough time with the "head hunger" if I eat carbs (meaning I want to eat all the time) -- so I just try to keep it under 30 grams of carbs a day (but some days I get up to 40 grams). I eat A LOT of Protein -- cheese, fish, beef, chicken. I eat fruits and veggies. To be honest, I eat a little bit (3 or 4 oz of food) and I'm full -- it's not that much either -- and then because I've got this weird thing where when I'm full, I get nauseated, I just don't really enjoy eat very much anymore. It's weird, I haven't heard anyone else talk about it (or maybe I haven't noticed), but I'm just not that into food. Now, I like the *thought* of food. But once I begin eating - not so much. But I usually get in between 800 - 900 calories a day. Sometimes I'll eat about 1000. Not many days, but some. But remember I'm almost 6 months out too. I also found an activity/exercise I love and am passionate about -- I used to play golf on the high school golf team (that's me on the far right, 1st row -- really 80s looking, huh?) Anyway, I've always wanted to continue to play, but I was always so obese, I couldn't -- now I can, and I do almost every day -- but I like to do it, so the time I spend isn't that outlandish to me (I spend a couple of hours a day) -- but if I were on the treadmill or something like that I think I would die after an hour or so (I used to do the treadmill for an hour, but I was sooo bored!) Sorry this was so long -- I hope I answered all your questions -- anything else, let me know!

Thanks everyone for your kind words I'm still riding cloud nine!

It's a beautiful day! SN.........................Starting Wt........Current........Goal.......Lbs to Goal juliarh......................211.2.................203.8...........186...............17.6

Hey everyone!! I'm all smiles because today I have lost 100.2 pounds!! I had wanted to "give" myself a birthday present of losing 100 pounds by my birthday but the present came 10 days early -- not that I'm complaining! Here's a link to my YouTube celebration: (Dance with me) I hadn't posted my "Tell Your Story" up until today because I felt it was much like everyone else's -- but here goes a hopefully short, but sweet version: I was always a thin kid -- I was active, but loved reading more (still do). I went off to college weighing 135 lbs at 5'9" -- soon gained the freshman 15, but that wasn't a big deal -- lost 10, then gained 20, then lost 25, then gained and graduated from college at 185. I married my husband at age 23 at 175 pounds, and proceeded to continue to gain. We moved from Wisconsin to Washington, DC where I had no family and friends except for food (mainly ice cream and pie) -- by the time we moved to Venezuela, I weighed 220 lbs. and I was 25 years old. Fast forward to 28 years old, I lost a bunch of weight, weighing about 170 and promptly got pregnant with my oldest son. (I had PCOS but didn't know it -- drs. thought it was a miracle I was pregnant at all). Gained 70 pounds with my pregnancy. Daniel weighed in at 10 1/2 pounds when he was born. I started law school when he was 5 months old -- and ate my way through it -- I was a size 24 when I graduated. Because of PCOS and my weight, I was unable to have any more pregnancies. But, we moved to Guatemala in 1997, and we adopted a little girl (Susana) -- and then in 1998, we adopted a little boy (John). When John was about 2, I lost a bunch of weight, getting down to about 190 lbs. Then my oldest was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder and Asperger's Syndrome (on the Autism spectrum) -- he had been previously diagnosed with ADHD too. So that kind of sent our family into a tailspin. (In other words, I ate through it). We came back to the States in 2002, and I worked as a lobbyist on Capitol Hill -- ate my way through the stress. We moved to Nicaragua and I started to lose weight again, but not much -- I think I got down to about 240. Then we moved back to the States in 2007. I began taking graduate courses for my teaching certificate and my husband was sent to Iraq. I ate again. Then my husband came home, he was immediately posted to Paraguay, but I had a job, my oldest was a senior in HS, and so we decided to live in the States for one more year. It was then I ballooned up to past 300 (I really don't know how much, just that I was 304 when I went to the dr.'s office for my pre-op visit). So in Sept. of 2010 about 2 months after moving down to Paraguay, I decided to get surgery -- as many of you have experienced, I tried everything: Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, Slimfast, even the cookie diet! The only thing I didn't try was pills. This was my last chance to be healthy and I'm almost there -- this is probably the greatest gift I have ever given to myself -- I have ME back again -- I haven't seen this Julie since I was 18 or 19 years old -- I am sooo thankful and I can't stress enough how having the surgery has changed my life!! And if you haven't had it yet, don't even hesitate -- it will change yours too! Happy, beautiful day!

Don't worry -- my doctor told me I'd only lose 80 pounds because I think he didn't want to give me false hope -- I think if you're really dedicated and change your eating and exercising, I think there's no way you can't get to your goal. I bet a lot of people go in for surgery and expect the surgery to do everything, which is what I DID NOT expect. So I'm still losing too

Congratulations Kris!! Doing the happy dance with you

Thanks for the heads up -- and I really hope you're feeling better soon!

Oh totally!!! I would totally try it out -- can't hurt, can it??

Thanks!! I'm excited -- I really want to get to 204 (100 pounds lost) by my birthday (March 10) -- it's been something I've been shooting for as a birthday present to me

You know, I have heard of this -- but to be frank, it's enough for me to remember to eat all my protein -- I think I do a little of this unconsciously, but to do it consciously might be too much for my little brain!

I think you're absolutely right --- the thing is, how many of those people really took their new lifestyle seriously -- I think that many people think they can continue to eat in the same way they were eating (and I think a handful can, but the majority cannot). I think along with the surgery, one has to accept the fact that one signed up for a "change." And that includes eating, exercising, etc. I'm exactly like you in the sense that my dr. told me (well, in Spanish, so it's not word for word), "You will probably only get to 100 kg." (That's 220 lbs.) I was devastated when I heard that because I really, really, REALLY want to get to a normal BMI (which is 165 for me) -- and guess what?? so far, I've beat his 100 kg -- I'm going past it and losing as much as I can get this ol' bod to lose (within reason of course). Hell if I'm giving up!!

Great job!! A stall is the worst -- but it sounds like just doing the right things is the key Great job!

yeah, I worry about it because I'm almost 47 -- sigh. But, so far, I have not gotten any wrinkles -- but yes, I do worry about it, but only cause I'm halfway old

Never woke up with the tube -- both for my endoscopy before I had the surgery and after my actual surgery.

another update (nice surprise today ) SN.........................Starting Wt........Current........Goal.......Lbs to Goal juliarh......................211.2.................206.2...........186................20

Wow!! You are an inspiration!! 305 lbs lost!! That's truly remarkable Welcome, welcome, welcome!!

Wow! I'm excited that the ghrelin levels stayed so low for such a long time!!! I was worried it might come back . . . . whoot! I think the regain is to be expected if you're not vigilant about what you're putting in your mouth -- I'm not saying we all have to be nuns, but we do have to realize that the reason we got the surgery is because of our obesity and our poor food choices -- we can make better choices or fall back on old habits. And as far as the reflux, I don't plan to not use a PPI -- I figure I'm doing good with with now, why tempt fate?? Interesting research!

Congratulations Luna!! You're doing fabulously well!! Love our Aug. and Sept. Sleevers!

Just to add my 2 cents -- I notice a lot of what you ate had carbs, and you might be very sensitive to carbs -- meaning, that if you eat carbs it causes your brain to want more -- just the other night I made a Mexican tasting ground beef mixture that my family used with tortillas -- I put corn in it -- well, after eating 1/2 cup, I wanted MORE and yesterday I ate over a cup of it in 3 hours (doesn't sound like much, but for me it was!!) and ate over 1000 calories -- sigh. Carbs and me just don't mix well -- makes my brain cry out for them -- so, just a thought . . .

I have only had severe reflux when I am not taking my PPI -- really, it seems to do the trick -- I've not heard of anyone who has been taking a PPI that had issues with reflux -- but I may be wrong.

Hey! remember too that around the 3rd week, most people stall -- that could mean the 4th or 5th week for you -- and a stall means that you stop losing weight, might regain, for a least a couple of weeks -- this is your body's way of adjusting to so much weight loss at once! Bodies typically do not lose weight consistently -- if you graphed out your weight loss, you would see a stair step kind of pattern -- lose, then stay the same, lose, stay the same, etc. That is NORMAL. The body, when dealing with weight, relies on ancient mechanisms that keep it from "dying during a famine." Right now, your body thinks it's in a famine, so it's gonna cling onto anything it can!! BUT!! There is no physical way your body cannot continue to lose if you are doing the right things -- eating Protein first (at least 60 grams), drinking all your Water (at least 64 oz.), and getting in some exercise. That's it. Really! Think about it --you're probably not getting in even a 1/3 of what you used to eat -- so it's really just the body fighting the process. And we ALL go through it -- some people have been on stalls for months!! (Not that I wish that on you!) That said, give it a couple of weeks -- I know that sounds like forever, but really, the next couple of months are going to zoom by and pretty soon you'll be thinner than you have been in years! Trust me And if you're concerned about the amount of protein, calories, etc -- you might want to try to journal your food -- I use fatsecret.com -- I really, really like it (and I think it's got an app for cell phones too). But others use other things as well. I recommend it because it gives you a clue as to what you are eating, etc. I hope this helps -- please hang in there and at least know most, if not all, people here have been on a stall -- me included!! (3 of them so far!) Take care and big hugs!

Hey Labrys, I really know how you feel -- I think I had a 3 or a 4 week stall back in November and it was soooo hard. But luckily, with the sleeve, I was able to plug along -- I'm glad you're seeing a change in your weight. I think that the biggest kudos go to those who face a stall for multiple weeks and keep on doing what they need to do -- so good for you!!

Congratulations Leslie!!! I am in awe of your weight loss -- incredible!! I am doing the happy dance with you!