coops

A great job, by both of you... It really does sound like you have a great quality of life now, especially with your physical activity... I love how you have transformed your garden to match the new you!! Keep up the good work...! =]

Hiya Sharon, best thing about being this size... there are a few things to be honest. On the vanity side of it, I can tolerate my image in the mirror and in photos now, before it was horrible and I hated it. It is also nice to be able to wear clothes from a 'normal' size range, not the outsized places where the prices are double. I have recently had some fab bargains... in saying that I am still a size 16UK so there are a few more inches left to go, espcially around the stomach area. Physically, the best thing is to be able to move!! I enjoy my boxing classes, gym sessions and walking now. Whereas before, I hated it 'cos it was uncomfortable and I my body couldn't do what my brain wanted it to! My biggest surprise... that is a good one! The biggest thing, is that a year out I still have a good restriction and my relationship with food has changed. I didn't have issues with it before, I wasn't an emotional eater... I just didn't eat very well. I made bad food choices. Now, I don't like to eat processed foods or ready meals... I prefer to eat fresh foods and I am slowly learning how to cook! The other thing that surprises me are the comments I get, both negative and positive. I used to get strung out by negative comments... now I can brush them off. Before, in the beginning when my weight loss first became visible, I did't like the positive comments or the attention. Now, I just say thanks and it is job done! Like I have mentioned before, I am just gonna get on with it now and stop stressing about the 'what ifs' and 'I should weigh x amount'... that has also been a surprise to me because in the first instance I was sooooo desperate to get to goal by now! I am just grateful that I have a good quality of health, fitness and life back... and that is me still being 'obese' ... lol... We'll just see what happens! Congrats on your weight loss to date... you are doing an excellent job... how are you finding the smaller you? ] =]

Thank you... yes, the prom was fab... and yea, this year I had a lil dance!! It is a great way to Celebrate the transformation of pupils to young adults! I'm looking forward to nexts years now too, so I can buy another dress...lol! I actually had choice this year

yey.... thanks to Diva I managed to put the pics in a proper time line... just one typo this time...lol!

thought I would post my latest on here too... the pic of me in black;s my one of the originals... taken 2nd July 2010... on the way to the hospital the pic where I am wearing my new pink dress was taken this week, for our school prom... the head and shoulders one was taken 4th July, in a rare moment of sunshine here in sunny Wales!

Amanda, what a difference... you are looking GREAT!! I love your list too... keep up the good work! =]

You could always try the 5 day pouch test, I did it at the beg of the year. I didn't lose a huge amount of weight, but it was good as it helped me focus on the restriction and food choices. It might be worth a shot? Just type it into your search engine for details. Also going back to basics would be a good idea... weighing your food, logging your carbs and cals... just for a couple of weeks to make sure you are on the right lines. I would defo ditch the sweets, at least until you see the scale move. Another thing... do you drink plenty of Water? I know that if I don't I feel hungry/empty more... it really helps me to stop snacking too. Just a few suggestions... let us know what you decide.

I have a friend who is similar... perhaps not as curt, but the undertones are the same... fortunately she isn't my boss. She asked me how much weight I had recently lost, this usually leads into her telling me about how much she has lost, blablabla... but I knew what was coming. I simply replied 'Oh, nothing! I've stopped weighing and measuring now... To be honest, I don't know if I want to lose anymore!' She was gutted! I purposefully said that to stop the competition that I felt she had put on us. I don't like competition of this nature, so as far as she is concerned... I am at goal!! It was the only way I could get back in control... dunno if it would work for you?

Hey Meggie... I am WELSH!!! lol x

Hey! I have been battling with this for many months now... only recently I have realised that I am smaller.. a lot smaller... but it took best part of a year. I remember when I was first sleeved and the preceeding months, reading topics about how long it takes for the head to catch up with the body. I must admit, it is true... for some reason, the ole grey cells are reluctant to realise exactly what is happening. You're 4mths out and lost an incredible amount of weight... try to focus on the positive stuff and not the negative... ok, ok, ok, that is easier said than done... you will start to feel the difference soon... even if it is in spits and spats. Keep up your good work and congratulate yourself on a daily basis! Oh, and by the way, we were exactly the same weight on the date of surgery!! =]

thank you all for your kind comments... I really appreciate them. That dress caused me a real dilemma, it was for our school prom; staff and pupils... It took some courage to wear such a bright colour that I would never normally choose. I really want to get rid of the dowdy old me and although I was really nervous to wear it I am glad I did. I had many compliments, even off the pupils, one lad, said 'Woooooo Miss, you are looking well fit!!!' I just laughed it off and told him he was looking handsome! At this stage in my journey my acceptance of my new body is changing... I am starting to feel good about what I have achieved; focusing on the good stuff as opposed to being fixated on the scales and I have to say, this has been a liberating experience. I would like to lose some more, but I will reconsider that in a little while... right now, I am living the pink!!

completely normal... I can have a 3lb bounce in any give 24hr period... doesn't even worry me now, but I remember the first time I noticed it, I FREAKED right out...

OK... so that defo proves a valid point... I like it! The scales suck big time!

I wore a pink dress to my school's prom... would never of done that a year ago!

Thanks Autumn Lily... I've messed up the post again... might get the hang of posting pictures one day... they are really big on my screen... can you see them ok? =]

]Ok, so I am just over a year out now and I've lost a total of 62lb and a total of 31 1/4 inches. That is more than I could ever of dreamt of without my sleeve. I have NEVER lost more than 7lb on ANY diet and exercise programme before. Currently my weight loss has slowed down, so after asking you guys for your thoughts on this, I am gonna 'stop' watching what I eat for a month or so and just get on with it. When my head is clearer I will get back into the groove and see if I can, at least, make my surgeon's goal. In the meantime... here is a little montage of my last year. I hope this works 'cos it took me ages...lol I suppose a NSV at this stage is that I wore a pink dress in public, a year ago I wouldn't have even considered the colour pink!!

Just tell him that Coops said 'JOG ON!'... Easy NO; successful YES! I work hard for each and every pound that I have lost. People with that sort of attitude need to have a little look inward instead of judging other... dickhead!

whoop whoop... this is LUSH! I am loving it, loving it, loving it!!!! What a great feeling... can we see the pics???? xx

. This time around I remembered that issue and employed a therapist to get okay with being noticed before it freaked me out again. I still find it odd that I was so adverse to being noticed by men- I've had no sexual trauma, abuse, etc. in my life. Here's my issue: my sister was always considered the "pretty one" (she's 5'11" and 130 lbs.) while I was the "smart one". My therapist believes I somehow got it into my head that thin women are not smart. Therefore, losing all the weight threatened how I most identified myself. I think she's right. Anyway, I shared all that because I think it's fascinating how such small things lead us to hang on to the comfort of our former size. And, don't even get me started on how losing weight has changed how I'm viewed/treated in the workplace. Amanda Amanda, I am completely and utterly with you in this, as this mindset was very much alive and kicking in my youth!! Perhaps I need to focus on this too... thanks for sharing x

When I was first out and felt hungry I had a drink of Water... still do now, a year out ... in the early days not only is your tummy healing, your body is confused and you mind is in a spin! If it isn't 'meal time' and you get hungry, try a sip or two of water... it might not work for you but it certain;y helped me then and now.... good luck!

Anyway, I wonder if I got so large because I felt comfortable in my big cocoon. Anyone else feel this way too? I feel... "naked" now. Hey Diva... I can understand why men (and women) take a double look... you're beautiful weight or no weight! Your last comment struck a chord with me... I am thinking very similar, I sometimes wonder if my head and body are at war with each other... before, (and now) I was realy bubbly... got a lot of attention 'cos of my humour... I never even thought it would be any other form of attention. As I get smaller, yes there is a difference, and sometimes I don't like it either!! Weird how the mind works... it is such a powerful tool...

Well, it is my one year anniversary today... here are my current numbers... SN..............Starting Wt........Current.......Goal.......Lbs to Goal Coops.........238..................... 179..............165............ 14 175..................................-4 Ok... so there it is... another crap weight loss challenge... but at least I get the prize for the slowest loser ... lol!!

You are not a slow loser... 25lb in 7 weeks is bloody brilliant... Sounds like your mam might be wishing it was her who had lost the weight? TRY not to let others get you down... there are going to be negative comments, I've had a few, and yes the ones from our loved ones cut the deepest! But we have to rise above them and remember why we did this... why we chose the sleeve. You haven't got much to lose compared to many - I know! We shouldn't compare - so take it easy... be kind to yourself and keep doing what you are doing. Good luck; chin up and keep coming here to vent as much as you need... this is a great and safe place to sound off! =]

How cool is THAT!! LOVE IT!! =]

Hey Mini... ditto... it is great to have this forum, but you are right, it would be good to chat face to face... You speak such wisdom and are soooo kind... just what i NEEDED... thank you!