atPeace55

I believe I was 3 months post-op at a 4th July party and I had a couple of sips of wine and took a sip of cognac! I could had my liquor prior to surgery but not anymore! My eyes got very low very quickly! LOL It depends on the person they don't recommend it but....

Being to walk upstairs without loosing your breath and hearing your knees crack in pain.

Having your husband or significant other pick you up and carry you.

Shop at a regular store and pay reasonable prices.

Sit on the toliet and not cover the whole seat! (My personal Fav)! CTHU

Very happy to hear that you are kicking the door down and pushing through to conquer fears and assasinating ALL negativity good for you! Very impowering story! I wish you much success in your WL journey!

As far as heels go - rocked them at my heaviest and still continue to rock them I'm 5'10 and I wear 5-6inch heels ALL the time, the only difference now is that I don't feel any pain in my knees! LOL My husband is 5'11 and does have a problem with me where my heels he loves it so I hope that you find that special someone that will LOVE YOU for who you are and what you like to ROCK on your feet!

Blessings Sweetie!

Yes, my insurance requested 5 yrs of showing that my BMI was over 40. So I had to go to my OBGYN and get my weigh ins for my annual for 5 yrs and also went to my Regular Dr. and got weigh ins for my annual check ups as well as just some appointments I had and took the ones that the BMI were 40 and above and presented those.

It's a process...it's insane I agree! Just hang in there.

Awesome! Congratulations!!!! That's alot of weight in 11 months very inspiring!

You sound so much better! I'm glad to hear that you are noticing the changing in your body by not getting on the scale! Wonderful!!!

@ashleyxx - yes it's so much fun I know alot of folks are into Zumba but I would take this case ahead of Zumba any day!

@joatsaint this is not my class I got this image off google. You're funny!

Stay up all you want because one they but they IV in you you're going to knock out! LOL

Congratulations! I have you have speedy and safe recovery.

wow...12 months. That is amazing. I can understand why you would do that. It is stressful and I should eliminate as much stress as I can because stress leads to weight gain! I think I just obsess about the numbers. I guess I just want to know that going through all of this wasn't for nothing. If you didn't weigh yourself weekly, then how did you figure out how many carbs, protein, calories etc. you needed for your optimal weight loss? If you have any advice, then please share. Calories during the first month? protein? carbs?

Thanks in advance.

I'm definitely not the standard on here or the person you should follow when it comes to eating the right amount of calories, protein or carbs so i'm not at ALL recommending you do what I did, it just worked for me. I did not calorie count at all or count my protein or carb in take. I got these little bowls and plates that I ate out of and that how I ate. I used yum yum dishes that helped me with my portion sizes. I still can not eat or drink alot but these portions bowls are what I used to eat out of and I was full.

http://yumyumdish.com/

My water intake I keep a bottle with me most of the time and sipped on through out the day during my first few months though it was hard for me to get enough water in me so my NP suggested that I eat ice chips or make crystal light popsicles so that's what I did.

Again by NO means am I advocating that my way is the way to do this - I just learned to listen to my body during my journey. I knew to be successful I needed to control my eating but I was never good at counting calories before but I knew I couldn't eat as much anymore so I took advance of that and just used small portion controlled dishes and I still use them. I know that I have to exercise so I got into the gym but before the gym I just walked in my neighborhood I knew at this point anything I did now would be positive and I would see the result now because of the surgery and it worked for me.

Congratulations on your weight loss thus far! I like what you said here, "Those thoughts of "what the hell did I do to myself" the first days of surgery are loooooonnngg gone."

I felt that way during the first few weeks like what did I do - I messed up!!! But now I definitely have NO REGRETS!

Again Congrats Awesome Job!!!

What you're experiencing is a common topic here on VST I read it alot. I'm glad that you have moved on and understand the logical as well as the emotional side of this. I think for this very same reason is why I chose not to weigh myself I didn't buy a scale and would only get my weight from my monthly check in at the WL Center and meeting with my NP and Surgeon, because I had enough stress and I didn't want that to be another one.

I didn't weigh myself for the first 12 months (I know some may think i'm insane) but that was my choice - not even when I went to the gym even though I was tempted too. I honestly just enjoyed the journey and went off how my clothes started fitting me - looser and looser, I also listen to all the people around me noticing the difference and giving me compliments. I'm not suggestion that anyone do the same this is just what I did and it helped me I may have stalled here or there but I never knew it because I was "scale free" for the first year!

I'm now 21 months post op and I currently have been maintaining my weight which i'm currently at for 5 months now but I do weigh myself weekly sometimes daily and take my measurements monthly but as I stated i'm in my "maintaining my weight" stage of my journey.

Good luck to you on this WL journey and I wish you much success!

OMG! I remember the day I cut up my "Big Girl Store" cards the Torrid and Lane Bryant! I remember going to the regular stores and one in particular I went to "Forever 21" and tried on some pants and a blazer and the pants slid up my legs/thighs so smoothly and button and zip without problem I remember just jump up and down in the dressing room in the mirror, screaming (under my breath of course) and tears coming down my face I had made it and it was the best feeling that I have had in a longtime - I will never forget it!

Enjoy these milestones! Congratulations girlie and many more to come!!

If you haven't started excercising do so. If you are excercing and you are basically doing the same routine over and over again I would suggest (I did this as well) switching up your routines trying something new our bodies learn to adapt the same with our eating as well but with your body it is called - "muscle confusion" it will help jumpstart you weight loss again.

Good luck on your journey!

Everyone is different and may go through different experiences so no answer to this question is consider "law". I wasn't really hungry when I was post op I had trouble staying hydrated I couldn't get enough water, liquids drinking the protein shake I would take a couple of sips and that was it.

You are definitely not alone and that's what this site is for to ask questions, be encouraged and encourge others with your knowledge or experiences.

Longer than what I expected because I ended up going back into the hospital and having my gallbadder removed so about 8 weeks. I had a hard time introducing certain solid food back into my daily diet. Case by case basis my is not typical by no means.

Thank you ALL for your wonderful and supportive comments, I know what I did was far from cheating, this is a lifestyle change unlike any other and I decided to take this journey and it has been the most successful for me. I've met alot of encouraging folks along the way! And if I had it to do all over again I would still make the same choice hands down!!