MINI-Me

The first few months, my arms and thighs looked really weird. You know that odd looking wrinkly skin on a chicken? That was my thighs. I did some toning with a "thigh-master" type of machine, but in the past month, I have neglected it. But, to my surprise, the thighs are shaping up nicely. That being said, you hagve a lot of weight to lose and the stomach may not "bounce back". If it doesn't, you can wear compression garmets to help under your clothes. If you develop what's called a "flap" of skin and can document bacterial or other similiar medical issues, insurance will cover the removal as a medical procedure and not consider it cosmetic. By no means amd I saying to fake or cause an infection, but I would imagine that it would be the perfect place for bacteria to want to hide and grow. For now, focus on the weightloss ... if you need to repair the skin, you can think about that a year from now. Best of luck!

If we all make our goals, we will have "lost" a 168 pound person!!!!![quote name=Dansha' timestamp='1289423913' post='91517] SN..............Starting Wt........Current.......Goal.......Lbs to Goal LilMissDiva.....247..................247.............226................21 Mini-Me.........203..................133.............125................8 Chilo1..........216...................169.............154................15 Kgremmy.....225................221..............199.................22 (being sleeved 12/14/10) Juliarh.........303.6.................247.............225...............22 Sleeve 4 me 204..................177.............164...............13 lbs.-Goal for start of New Year merieri..........240..................206..............190...............16 DJackson........246...................246...............220..............26 Dansha...........220...................220.............195................25;)

You are such a Rock Star! Keep on going down!!!!!

Lookin' Good!

Congratulations ... See you on the Loser's Bench!

Is this right??? SN..............Starting Wt........Current.......Goal.......Lbs to Goal LilMissDiva.....247..................247.............226................21 Mini-Me.........203..................133.............125................8 *The 133 is as of today since TOM is here. I keep my ticker at my lowest weight until it goes down again!

Steve, Thanks for writing. Here's what you said & some comments Good things that have happened: •Lost a ton of weight - FABULOUS! •Feel happier - YEAH •No more sleep apnea - And I assume that means no more machine - Are you doing the happy dance? •Started dating and opening myself up more - Again, happy dance? •Stay away from fast food - YEAH Bad things that are happening: •Started drinking diet mountain dew again - Why is this so bad? Does it cause you to crave carbs? If so, I would agree that it is bad for you. •Hardly drink any Water - Best advice? Go out and get a water bottle TODAY. Keep it full and with you at all times. •Need to drink more Protein - I don't necessarily agree with this one. I was told that it is better to get your protein from food. It's keeps that full sensation longer & in my opinion, "natural" is always the best route. •Eating healthier but I need to do a better job - I would put this in the "Good Things That Are Happening" category. We can all do better, but Celebrate your good choices. •Drink too much coffee - Again, why is this bad? •Eat too many sugar Cookies from the store - Agreed, this is a bad one. Stop buying them. Make 1 or 2 an occaisional treat that you have planned for, not a typical part of your eating. •Need to do better with my fresher vegetables and fruits - This is something we should all strive for. Being less than a year out, it's hard to fit them in, but I know my body needs them. •I need to get more protein in and less carb - Yep! That is the key to success. So, based on the above, I'd say you were doing exceptionally well. Even with the carbs and such, you haven't gained, but maintained a SIGNIFICANT weight loss. How long is "I have been stuck between 233 and 239 for months"? Is this just a long stall or do you think it's your eating patterns that have changed too much? I agree that journeling your food is a great first step - it may just help point out where you've been eating more than you think you have. Also, keep up the exercise - that is good for your weight loss as well as toning and general health. Keep coming out here & letting us know how you are doing. We all love success stories!!!!

Due to the "hulls" and potential for lodging in the staple line, I was told to wait at least 3 months before trying popcorn. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

As others have said, you are perfectly normal in your anxiety. What you need to determine is what you want to do. Is this normal anxiety or are you really having second thoughts? I was completely gung ho for the procedure until I met with the nut. She kept talking about "you'll never be able to ..." and "you will have to give up ...". I was like "Wait a minute ... is this right for me?" It was a good wake up call & I did some serious soul searching. And, I realized that yes, it was right for me. And the things she told me "I could never"??? I talked with my doctor and he was very realistic - 90% do what I tell you and 10% splurge. That's what I've been doing & I've surpassed my 135 pound goal that my Nut and Pysch said was unrealistic and that I was setting myself up for failure. Lesson Learned - Only YOU KNOW YOU and what YOU ARE CAPABLE OF! Best of luck making your decision. For me? It was a life-saving decision and I have 0 regrets.

Absolutely fantastic results. You are like the kid's story of the duckling turning into a Beautiful Swam. Absolutely love the new hair!

So glad to hear that things went well for you. Sounds like you are doing awesome on the weightloss. Keep it up! This board is a great place to come get information - I know the first month or so I was on here ALL the time asking questions and determining if my experiences were "normal"

Looking forward to what you find out. I know more people are going that route. I'm interested in seeing loss-rate and complication ratios when compared to the Sleeve and RYN. I have a lot of people asking me about my weight loss and surgery - it would be nice to tell them of other options that they can investigate. Best of luck!

ok ... I'm not making any progress. I've been bouncing between 134.6 and 132.8 for several weeks now. (Of course, my Halloween binge didn't help things any ) I know being 125 by the end of the year is a stretch at 9+ months out, but I want to keep pressing forward. Anyone out there with me? Want to help hold each other accountable? I'm open for any and all ideas!!!![/font]

Ditto to everything said above. There are days when I feel small and confident. There are others where I say "no way". The other day, I picked up a cute VERY short skirt on a whim. It's a 7/8 & it fits me like a glove. Not sure if I will get the confidence to wear it out in public, but I might just make dinner in it one night to see what the hubby thinks!

I searched as well. Looks like something I need to try!

What a great story. Thanks for sharing.

Tracking varies by individual and there post-surgical care. I keep track of my weight at home & check in with my PCP for labs & get weighed then. I also update my on-line records with my surgeon since he is in Vegas and I am in Washington. How often you weigh is definitely a matter of personal choice. I weigh daily and track my ebbs and flows. It helps to have a record to look back on for cycles, etc. Others cannot handle the stalls or small spikes and choose to either weight weekly or monthly. You will have to decide what works for you. Best of luck!

Sounds like you are on the track to your new life already. I know in the months prior to my surgery, I was on this board constantly. I googled VSG constantly and looked for ideas on pre-op and post-op foods. Your surgeon, nutritionist and the rest of the team will have lots of great advice for you. Don't be afraid to ask quetions - often the nut is going to give you guidelines based on their experiences with other patients. If it's not working for you, ask for alternatives. Find what works for YOU! Congratulations on completing your first steps. Keep us updated on how things go with your appointments & let us know when we can Celebrate your surgery day!

Sounds like you are doing awesome. It also sounds like you understand that this is a journey & you need to stop and Celebrate success along the way. AWESOME!!!!!

I had a very similiar post Sunday night. I think we all fall off the wagon once in a while. It's what we do when we fall off that makes us who we are. This time ... we will prevail. We have a tool that helps us get back on track. We will use that tool! Get back to basics - plan your meals, eat your Protein first. And, if you find you want a treat - by all means, plan for it, enjoy it completely, and remind yourself that it will still be there tomorrow if you want another taste. You can so do this!!!!

Based on where you live, you might want to attend our group in Marysville. We meet the first Thursday of every month (so the next one is tomorrow night). It is a combined group of all WLS patients, but several VSG'ers attend. http://www.pacificnutritionwellness.com/node/663 You do not need to have had surgery to attend. All are welcome.

I also look at OH some days. A few months ago, I read about a girl who was sobbing that her new clothes had shrunk in the wash. Turns out, they were just fine - she just didn't have a mental picture of how much her body had changed. I am just starting to get used to my reflection as well. One day, I was walking up to a windowed door. In my head, I was wondering who the thin woman was - I hadn't seen her around work before. Duh! It was me reflecting in the window. LOL!

Do you ever take them out of the closet & your brain automatically says "no way will I fit into these" ... but you do?!?!?!?!?!?!?! I love that feeling!

I'm not really comfortable with the idea of maintenance during the holidays. I'm going to see if I can hit 125 in the next 2 months. If not, that is ok. But if I can, GREAT! I may be too slim at that point - wish there was a way to just take it off my tummy area! I think the idea of staying in "diet mode" will help me resist temptation during the holidays. Not that I won't allow some treats (just as I have done all along), but it will help keep me mindful of what I am eating and accountable to not go crazy during the holidays. No matter where I end up January 1, I will start into maintenance. For me, that is the most "scary" part ... I've never mastered maintenance and I know I'm going to need some help figuring my way through this. Hopefully we can be a support for one another. Again ... great job on making your goal. It's a terrific feeling - isn't it?

Welcome to you as well Kate!