coops

Hey Crosswind, I am loving your words of wisdom...I have spent the last 6mths beating myself up about not being a 'good', 'fast', 'successful' loser, and completely lost sight of all the positive factors that the sleeve has given me. I am pleased to say that, a day from my years aniiversary, that has changed and I now realise that what will be will be! I will now, focus on the stuff I can control and enjoy it! Thank you for reminding me to stay sane!!

Thank you ALL for your words of wisdom... this is exactly what I needed to hear; different ideas and perspective because I feel too subjective about this, and hey ... we are all in the same position and I value each and every one of you! It is really tough... but I think I am going to try and 'chill' out a little; sorta semi maintance for a while and see what happens. I love the idea of exercise based goals; in fact my hubby said exactly the same thing. Truth is that is the only part of my body I can 'control', so over the next couple of weeks, I will focus on my boxing, gym work and walking. I am also gonna have a daily goal and concentrate on my fluids and not my food. to put things into perspective... I am 5'2' (so, a short arse!) so 176lb is still 'obese' and my weight is mainly in my middle now. I am mainly a UK size 16 - today I bought a floaty top size 14 and a dress for our school prom that is also a size 14, that is 'cos of the style of the items; trousers and tops a 16 is a good, flattering fit. Oh, I haven't been in this size for about 17 years!! So, yea, I don't think I am finished completely, but mentally I am exhausted and a few weeks 'chill-out' is probably the best way to let my mind relax and stop being so hard on myself! I will keep you posted...lol... It is my year anniversary in two days, so I will get some up to date pics on here too... gotta boost the ole ego somehow...lol! xxx

Now, this is a good question... And I don't really know the answer... I try to change my diet on a regular basis, whilst sticking to the 'rules' ie up cals down cals, alter exercise patterns, drink more Water....etc So in maintance I am not sure how it would be that different. Last time I spoke to my surgeon and he realised that I hadn't lost that much, he did say: 'You will find maintance easy!' I also wonder if it is psychological and I am not sure how to work on that... I can't afford therapy! hmmmm, me needs to think about this!! =]

Hiya Thin, thanks for your input... I have been thinking of you recently, as I remember you saying that you had slowed down too... however you have lost 150lb... woman, that is another person!!!! I think my body is comfortable here and is really resisitant to change... perhaps I just have to sit back and enjoy the ride...?? x

Oh my Foxbins... that is SUCH a good question! My hubby says I should keep going and get to my surgeon's goal... I suppose there is a part of me that is fed up with such a slow lose, but then the other part of me gets excited when I see the scale move a pound or two!!... *sighs*

Yea, this shocked me too... I am 27.8 so therefore 'acceptable' but my BMI is still 32.something... confused or what!! When I look at my tummy it doesn' look acceptable with out clothes on ...lol... perhaps the bod pod thing is the best way to measure?! =]

Hiya Cathie... I haven't had the band, I've been sleeved and it is fab! Life on the other side is only positive and I am a really SLOW loser!! What is POSE? The Protein drinks are ok ... you can get them here, I do have some of the Protein powder and I use a vanilla flavour that I add to coffee it tastes a little like a vanilla latte... but I don't have them that often and I didn't use them post op.. in fact I was a good 4-5 mths out until I tried them. Pre op I had no special diet requirements at all... I was self pay, so I just rocked up to the hospital the night before! After the op there is a very specific plan to follow for the first 4-6 weeks, but I have found out that each and every surgeon is slightly different. I am only 'allowed' to eat 3 times a day with no Snacks, whereas some surgeons prefer 4-6 small meals a day... that will depend on how your surgeon works. I have been out to eat now, and like before I don't really like it... for some reason, I never enjoyed going out for food... I would rather go the the pub and get hammered or go to the cinema!! But when I have eaten out it is not a problem, as post sleeve I can tolerate all foods and I just stop when I am full... it is crap value for money though, so I am reluctant to do it. Life post sleeve is very good... I haven't reached my weight goal yet, or my size goal...lol... but there are many personal goals that I have achieved, my main one being exercise. I am now fit and able to train hard, like I did when I was in my late teens... I feel that I am now in control, which is bloody amazing! Other than a C-section for my second child, I too, has never had a minor op, never mind a major one... I had a text book recovery and no problems what so ever... it sounds drastics, I suppose removing over half of your stomach is drastic, but I would do it all again tomorrow... Honestly, I wouldn't change anything... not for the world! Good luck with your op... where in the UK are you? Keep in touch and let me know how you get on... if there are any more questions, give me a shout =]

Hey fellow sleevers... just thought I would put this out there for some feedback, firstly, if this, in anyway sounds negative... it is NOT meant to be!!! I am just looking for your thoughts and feelings on this. I am a year out now and life is sweet. This is the best thing I have ever done for myself but I feel like I am now at a crossroads. My weight loss is soooo slow it is painful! I know that my fastest and best time has gone and to be honest, since the New Year, things have been really hard and I have had to fight for every pound lost and inch gone! But that is ok... I am a fighter so I get on with it... Now, I am wondering whether to stop fighting... just stop worring and get on with my life without making goal. I am starting to feel like a failure as each mini goal and weight loss challange that I have set myself, I have not achieved. There were other little goals that I set way back, that I also didn't make and this is starting to get to me e.g. When I booked the Take That tickets in October '10 I wanted to be a size 12(UK) for the gig... I didn't make it... I also wanted to be under 11 stone for my 40th birthday in April ... I didn't make it! I don't like FAILURE...lol So, my train of thought is slightly changing now... there is a part of me that would like to shift the rest of this weight... there is a part of me that is completely and utterly happy with how I am today and then there is this little competitive part of me that is desperate to get to about 135lb. I am also curious as to 1, how I will feel at this weight and 2, how I will look, as I haven't been that small since I was about 16yrs old!! what do I do? Continue to fail or stop... Then, my WLS nurse rang me... we discussed my slow weight loss, reasons for etc... she put a new spin on the whole goal idea, she said: 'Goal to me is when you are happy with yourself and you have a good quality of life; not so much about the scale or dress size.' This shocked me because I was expecting a telling off for not getting to goal in the year! In her eyes, I am successful as I have changed my life style and am now healthy and fit! OK, so you're in my shoes... what would you do?

Congratulations... you look bloody amazing... and well done on yout success xxx

Hiya Cathie... yep, I'm in the UK... south Wales! There are a few Brits on here and they are all lovely! But in the minority... that being said, I have only come across positive and support sleeve friends on this site. I am nearly a year out, I was sleeved 4th July 2010 so we are a year and a day apart. If there is anything you want to know give me a shout..=]

YAY... gotta love that tape measure... well done; that is a lot of inches! =]

Once again I agree with the previous posts... you are really early out and still recovering... at your stage I didn't really do any exercise, just some static weights for my arms whilst I was watching TV. Like To Be Thin something just kicked in... I started really slow and sure; my kids have the Wii fit so that was a great start for me, in the house with no one watching... God I am sooo paranoid that folk will laugh at me... then I progressed to using the free gym in work; my confidence started to increase, especially as a co worker who is 15 yrs younger than me was asking for my advise re which exercise to for different results! Find something that you are happy with, but I really would recommend walking for the first couple of mths... a great plaform to start off from... good luck and let us know what you decide! =]

Hello Lisa, At 9 1/2 weeks I had lost 29lb and I had just over 100lb to lose... I don't think you are a slow loser at all... I think you are doing well and over a quarter of the way to goal... in just 9 1/2 weeks... that is pretty good!! One thing that I tend to do - as I am a real slow loser, but still losing - is to up my Water intake... sometimes that really helps! I did make a massive mistake, and that was comparing myself to others... my body is just resistant to change and doesn't like getting rid of any fat! A couple of mths ago I hit a major stall where I didn't see any scale movement for about 6 weeks... that took me to a real dark place... fortunately I came on here...read some great stuff and didn't lose my mind completely! Keep doing what you are doing... don't compare and try to enjoy the journey... it will come off, but we are all different and, I think, that is a good thing =]

Well done you... you look taller!! Congrats on a job well done... so far so good eh?!

I might be off the mark here... are you doing really low carb? The reason I ask is that I am a teacher... I need my mental focus all day at school and sometimes, if my carbs are really low - under 30 - I find myself getting forgetful and what I call brain freeze... I literally have a bland mind and face!! When this happens I add extra carbs in the form of wholewheat/grain bread or crackers... just a slice or a few crackers! I find this helps me... might be worth a try?! However, getting your bloods checked can't hurt either! Let us know how you get on =]

Hey... don't worry; stalling is part and parcel of the process... I think I am the Queen of Stalls....lol... and since the New Tear, I am a very slow loser... but it is coming off and I am not gaining! How far out are you? Have you taken measurements? In the last 6mths I have only lost about 14lb - and there was a huge stall of 5-6 weeks in that - but I have gone down a dress size and a little... try not to be discouraged or put pressure on yourself. I did that and I ended up in a real dark place. I notice that you have lost over half your goal now, so congratulate yourself on that... also, try putting on some of your pre sleeve clothes... watch them fall to the ground and smile, smuggly, to yourself. It works for me every time stall! =]

Feedyoureye.... that made me chuckle!!! I just think my wonderful body is super resiliant and doesn't want to get rid... it is like it is its comfort zone... but the last three weeks, I have lost a pound a week... not great but at least it is going down. It is gonna take me a long time to get to goal at this race; but I have come to the conclusion that there is no rush!! =]

Hiya Roxy, I am a teacher in the UK...I was self pay and that allowed me to chose my dates; I had the op 4th July had two weeks off work and went in for the last day of term before the 6 weeks holiday. To be honest I would of struggled a little returning to work after 15 days, not cos of the actual op as my recovery was text book! I just felt really tired for the first mth. But, everyone is different... this was my first operation and I didn't have anything to compare it too - I won't include child birth and a c-section! Also a lot of others have felt really well after the initial two weeks... Have you had an op before? What was your recovery like?

Oh Irene... you are the weight loss DIVA ... well done you! You look great!! Congratulations on the teeny tiny size 6!!! Love and hugs from across the pond xx

Hey Chilo, Funny you should say that... it is exactly what I do when I go boxing! When it is time to go on the pads and punch bag, I imagine my fat belly and smack the shite outta it!!! We gotta do what we gotta do!! =]

I Love the attitude in that neon bikini... love it love it love... congrats on a job well done!! =]

Oh Amanda, congratulations on your promotion... I can almost see your smile from here! =]

Bloody hell... you don't look like the same woman!! What a transformation! Well done on looking amazing and getting to GOAL!! =]

Hey Lila, Firstly, congrats on your incredible weight loss so far... wow 85lb in 6mths... that is pretty awesome! Impressive!! You've lost in one month, what I have this YEAR (and I ain't comparing, just making and observation)... I really don't understand how you are not on track!! Is your surgeon some kind of rambling baffoon... 'cos seriously I could swing for him right now! How the hell is 85lb in 6mths SLOW??? That is a small person - actually my 11 yr son weighs about that; sorta puts it into perspective don'tcha think! If he was my surgeon, I would be in bits by now... you know how slow my weight loss is, and reading this makes me feel soooo bloody angry! And as for predicting your future weight loss... I ain't being funny but perhaps he should leave that side of it to Mystic Meg!!! I am well proud of your attitude... infact, I would like some of it please... on a gold plate, cos fair play, you have it sorted!! When you reach goal, and you will, go in there, in your best clobber and tell him to JOG ON... otherwise I will have to leave the Green Green Grass of Home and do it myself...lol! You keep rockin' your sleeve my friend, and balls to him!!! =]

Myrori, What a nightmare... I agree with the others! Please let us know how you get on... sending you hugs from across the pond! x