coops

This might sound like I am going against the grain...so please forgive me! Have you considered NOT logging for a little while? You are newly sleeved and therefore at you max restriction. I didn't log anything for the first 6mths at least. I do log now because I am 19+ out and not at goal so I need to be vigilant with my cals. Honestly, at your stage in the game the only thing I focused on was Protein and good quality food? Like I said it might be against the grain, but it would take the pressure of the 'diet monkey' from you? The association of good and bad food, I believe is in all of us... I chose the sleeve so I COULD eat a variety of food, as yes that includes a treat now and again! I want to eat to live, not live to eat. Good luck with the inner voice, it does get better.

You look great! I love the dress in your current pic, so pretty! I can't believe how well you've done in such a short space of time!! You'll be at goal in no time at all... congrats on an amazing job well done!

Oh Wheetsin, that is priceless...!! Bless her and her boogie!

Loves it... any of you guys wanna do some marking for me... I'm an English teacher...lol!!

Wow... you were young going through all that... Oh yeah, being a woman is amazing... I have all my bits intacked...lol... and yea, the HRT is just oestrogen. Doc did mention giving me progestrone too but nothing was mentioned at my last appointment. I go back in 3mths,,, do you think should mention it? As far as fibroids go... don't think I have them? I do get some of the symptoms of PCOS; facial hair - how attractive), some body hair,spots along my jaw line, thinning hair - why can't my hair growth just be concentrated on my head...lol! At first the menopause doc wanted me to have a normal BMI... but when I spoke to her a couple of weeks ago, she told me not to get stressed over my weight...ha! Talk about a turn around... anyway, I am gonna keep on keeping on, trying to get rid of the last bit of me that I don't want! Good luck with your surgery... not long now! If you want any help/advice/support... just give me shout! =]

Balckberryjuice... this is brilliant news! What a HUGE compliment! but then you have made a huge change to your body and look amazing! Congrats to you! =]

Oh Meg... What a great day... I am sooooooo proud of you, really I am! You are such an inspiration and a lady. You're words are always kind and positive, and for that I thank you! You really do deserve your success... I love your NSV... and to the woman who did it 'hard way'... well, she can JOG ON!!! You take each and every compliment, box them and keep them 'cos, you deserve them all! Well done my friend and congratulations xx

Emily, firstly I want to echo others congratulations... you've lost an incredible amount of weight in such a short space of time. The best advice I can give you is to have patience- yes I know, it is hard... I am currently in a 5mths stall but I am 19mths post op and sorta expected things to be like this (I also think my hormones are a contributing factor!). MY body is soooo stubborn to change, but I refuse to give up and refuse to believe that there is this window of opportunity. My tummy is the same size now as it was nearly a year ago, so I am going to stick with what I am doing and practice what I preech... employ patience! Stick with what you are doing and let you body have a 'whiff', you will continue to lose. It might be a little slower, but that isn't such a problem... is it? If you feel that you need to 'do' something, try changing things around a little to shock your body... perhaps switch foods? Change your exercise routine? Add more liquids? Increase/decrease cals... anything that you feel will be beneficial. I have tried the above and although they didn't work for me I have read on here that they work for A LOT of others - we are all different - and like I said, my body is a stubborn lil minx! Remember our bodies are sensitive things and they don't really like change! Pat yourself on the back for a job well done! Good luck in getting to goal! =]

Yes! Great comparison... in fact both my kids, now aged 11 and 13 both eat a lot more than I do at meal times - we're old fashioned here and all eat our meals, at the table together...lol! They used to comment on how little I ate, but now it is just me being 'normal'! Using a smaller plate is a great way to guage food too, if you haven't got a scales in front of you. =]

I'm19mths out and I still weigh my food (desperately trying to get to my first weight goal) and I eat between 6-8oz of food in a meal depending on consistency. This is VERY similar to the weight I was eating at approx 8mths out... so I feel this is my limit now! I am more than happy with this as it is enough to enjoy the taste of food and to keep my cals low(ish) they range between 900-1200 daily. This amount also keeps me satisfied for a long period of time and therefore allows me to stay with my 3 meal a day post op plan... yes I am still sticking to this for 90% of the time! Not sure if this helps... hope so! =]

Yep... what they said...lol... You look amazing! Congrats! I'm sure we'll be seeing a goal thread from you soon =]

Caradina, I was going to start a thread about this myself. I was given blood tests last year and told that I was peri-menopausal at the age of 39. I went on HRT but I suffered with severe migraines and taken off them; I only last 6-8 weeks on the Patches. The last year, the symptoms came with a vengance... sweats, sleepless nights, moody, emotional and all for 'no apparent reason'! I was horrible and I felt horrible. I went back to my doc and she gave me tablets to control the sweats, whcih worked a treat. I was also refered back to the menopause clinic and put back on HRT patches and I am still on them 3 mths later. No migraines this time as the flush tablets also stop migraine attacks. I feel a lot better, moods are calmer, I can concentrate for longer and I have better sense of well being... all in all going good. Now, my concern here is two fold - firstly I am spotting every 10-20 days and it is not pretty (sorry if TMI) i also get cramps and pains that I didn't get before, although my monthlys were very erratic! And secondly, I haven't lost a pound since October and was wondering if the HRT has 'something' to do with this? Since the New Year I have been logging food (with a couple of breaks) and my calorie intake is looking good - between 900-1200 a day. I do exercise, but the last couple of weeks it hasn't been as regular but I still ... I am in a bit of a quandry about it! I am 19+mths out and not at goal, although I am happy with the weight I have lost, I do feel that I would like to get rid of another 14lbs or so. According to the BMR charts and all that malarky, I 'should' be losing about a 1lb a week? I was also interested in the oestrogen being stored in fat comment that you made... I didn't know that until recently and am now wondering if the weight loss that I have achieved might have spurred on the menopause a little earlier that it might have been. However, I really do think that I was going to go through it early as my symptoms, albeit minor, were there anyway. Any thoughts would be appreciated as I am a little confused... Whatever happens, I am going to continue all my efforts to getting this last 14lbs off... and when work calms down, my exercise will go up! Good luck to you and sorry for the lengthy response!

Benefibre and flax seeds are my life line when it comes to number twos... gotta have em daily or no go for Coops!

Oooops, Lilee, forgot to mention how utterly brilliant your photos are... and what a beautiful smile you have ... you really need to change your profile pic...lol =]

This is a great post... great words of wisdom! and I can concur... I have not lost a POUND since the end of Oct, but over the last 2 weeks, something has 'changed' I am getting a lot of comments asking how much more weigt I have lost and when I say none, people look confused and it is swiftly followed by, well you look like you have! Hmmm, so I bought a pair of jeans in a smaller size; UK14... and they fit. Seriously, they fit. Remember no weight loss on the scales since Oct... did I mention that...lol... and a size smaller...did I mention that...lol Basically, what I am trying to say is that the scales are just ONE way to measure success, not the only way!! Thanks for puttin this out there, I wish I had read it when I first started out!

Pammie... I am also with you on the comparison thing... not that I know many others in my friendship circle who have had WLS... but on this board - and others - the peeps who were sleeved the same time as me seemed to have lost much quicker and are at goal now. At the time it was a nightmare to read... at one point it took me to a dark place where I played the 'it's not fair game'. That was not a good move. I know it is hard, but try not to compare to others... just compare you to you... that is what worked and is still working for me! let me know how you get on. =] Dorrie... do you like nuts? They are a great way of upping cals in a good way. I eat them a couple of times a week - great snack - yummy.

Oh Pammie, I sooooo understand your frustrations... really I do! But there is light at the end of the tunnel, I promise. In the early days my weight loss was soooo sporadic ... it used to drive me nuts! But it kept coming off... and I am sure it will be the same for you too. I'm 19+mths out now and not quite at goal weight, but I've hit my original goal size! Honestly, this is the ONLY way that I have EVER lost more than 7lbs! The scale will be your friend, but don't rely on it as a consistent tool for measuring success. Look at the important things, like how your clothes fit bettter-are too big, how fitter you are, how healthier you are and how much better you feel. They are the things that consistently keep me focused and on track. I will get to my weight goal.. just don't know when! And so what if it takes to the end of the year... I am not racing with anyone! I keep saying that I am taking the scenic route... and it is rather beautiful! Good luck and keep on doing what you are doing =]

Missus.... you've always been a star in my eyes... this is a fab NSV though... and no one deserves it more than you!!! Hugs from across the pond my lovely friend! x

Reallyrosy, can I firstly congratulate you an an amazing weight loss to date. Secondly, I just wanted to say that you are doing bloody wonderfully in the walking dept. I started this at 238lbs and I couldn't tie my shoes without feeling light headed and putting my foot onto a step, I couldn't get a pair of tights on without taking my own breath away and winding myself. I certainly couldn't walk on a treadmill for 20 mins... and you are doing ALL of that , plus some with 30lbs more!! A-bloody-mazing!! Really... chin up and be very proud of where you are and where you are going. And I don't mean to sound rude, but I really don't like the sound of your surgeon. Mine hasn't disallowed ANY food for me. Yes, I had a strict post op diet plan for 2mths, but that is all good as I was healing... but when I got onto solid food he wanted me to eat EVERYTHING but in much smaller amounts. I know each and every surgeon is different, and each and every body is different but it sounds to me that he is making this much harder for you than you than it needs to be!! Keep working with your 'shrink' and remember that what he says isn't 'God's word'! Good luck to you

Cludgie... I think this is two NSV... the first one is the weight one... and double yey there... but the second is to actually get a physio appointment! (I'm still waiting to hear about mine)! Be nice if mine was an adonis too... I probably won't be so lucky...hang on that is three NSVs...lol!! =]

Great question Meggspeggs. I too will look forward to reading the replies. I am 19+mths out and not at my goal weight...I've lost 73lbs and been in weight loss stall from hell (lol) since the end of Oct, bouncing up and down the same 3-5 lbs... BUT ... today I bought a pair of size UK14 boyfriend cut jeans and they FIT!! I am also wearing a pair of 14 cotton combat shorts that also FIT.... so techincally I have reached my 'size goal'. I will however endeavour to lose 'til my I get to, at least, my surgeon's goal weight which is 12-14lbs more. Then I will review how I feel, look and what size I end up at. I have given myself to the end of 2012... and wherever I am then, that is where I will stay and stay for good!! Remember, I am a really slow loser... but a loser nonetheless... and I have to say, the scenic route is beautiful!!

Yep me too... it is taking FOREVER... but when I get there, boy it is gonna taste soooo sweet!!

Erm... are you sure that both pictures are YOU ...lol... you just look sooooo different! Well done on a beautiful transformation; beautiful before and beautiful now!! =]

I'm with Amanda on this... I'm 19+mths out and half the time I see myself in a better way... and half the time I still see and feel fat! I think that as time goes on the percentage will change... and lets face it, I have a lot of time...lol. I don't 'hate' myself any more, so that is a good thing. I do think that once I get to goal that will mentally change things too. Self esteem is such a personal thing. I know a lot of very confident people who are carrying a lot more weight that I am and they are happy with themselves regardless of some stupid number on the scale... that is my aim I think, self acceptance!

Hey Meg, I know it is horrible to have really thin hair, I am the same... Not sure if this will help, but I had to have mine cut short and sort of swept to the side to conceal the thinness... it does the trick to a certain degree... Just remember though, you are NOT UGLY!! Your hair does not define YOU... ok, so it helps us along the way... but you are still You and still beautiful! Hugs x