meggiep

Hey there! I had the VSG on May 9th 2011 and m in maintenance now for almost a year. Having watched You Tubes avidly during my preparation (and now too) I started a video record of journey pre-op that continues to today. I received an email from someone who found me and thanked me for making them as I helped support and guide her as she prepared. I realised that I have forgotten what a great source of help it can be and decided to return here, the place that also fed me my support and inspiration back then, to give the link to anyone who might need my help! Know that I am happy to answer questions personally and that no question is silly, and also there are never too many in a day. I am mentoring someone through surgery locally and sometimes hear from her ten times a day. The VSG is the best thing I ever did besides having my son and marrying my current husband lol. I have been to the edge of the regain abyss and back too, and that can be a source of support. Good luck to all of you about to embark on this journey! http://www.youtube.c...ser/meggieprice

Sugar is totally my trigger too and I finally realized that I need to give it up to maintain . The first few days are tough but then I feel much better- on an even keel, good energy, and no cravings. As I have mentioned in other posts, I am at goal (for 12 weeks now), work out a TON, and got to my goal the low carb way. I am determined to maintain this loss! I was in a habit of having a little sugar (ie a couple of cinnamon bears lol) before Zumba, for example, but it triggered binging for me. When I gave it up I was much better. That said I know there will be sugar in my life at times, I just need to plan for it and then get right back on track afterwards. Luckily I have a very strong will and have so far found it relatively easy to get back on track- probably because I know I will have treats sometimes, and also because being size 8 for the first time in my life is a huge treat in itself! Anyway I really recommend you detox from processed sugar and I think you will be at goal with that help. Good luck! re: the fruit posts, now that I am at goal and because i work out 20 plus hours a week, I allow a lot more carbs including fruit. I still find it impossible to eat a banana after the fear of its 30 carbs was so ingrained during my extreme losing phase! But hey- summer with its peaches, nectarines, melon- YUMM!

Can you say...Transfer Addiction lol! I do 12 Zumba, a stepping class, two Water aerobics classes, and a water pilates class a week. AND I walk three miles a day... Part of it is being disabled with nerve pain in my back and knees and seeking ways to work out. I have also been looking for work for a while and a friend said "If you can't find work then work at something to feel productive" and I chose working out ...big time!

I have a total crush on Zumba! Before my sleeve I could only do water classes- and then in November, six months out, I ventured to try Zumba. I loved it! I have to be careful as I have nerve damage in my back and knees. I don't jump, for example. I now do TWELVE classes a week!

Btw I posted the nutritional info for this based in the ingredients I used way back months ago...eggface doesn't do nutritional stats and during my weight loss phase I was a strict counter. I also made this with 8 ounces of ground beef on top under the cheese....YUMM! Search for ricotta to find my stats....

Unjury chicken soup was a mainstay for me getting to goal. I used 16 ounces of water to make it a bit less salty, and to add to my liquid count! I also made chicken stock from chicken , celery, and carrot, and froze the strained liquid into ice cubes and added one to each Unjury broth I made to add more robust flavor. I will continue to use Unjury chicken broth when I am low on protein for a day.

I read this with interest as I reached goal eight weeks ago and now of course am hyper critical of the small areas I wish would be different ;-P I have been lucky in that I have some pouchy skin at belly and midriff, and some bat wings, but not much else. Considering the 120 pounds lost I feel fortunate! I also have worked out, and continue to work out, a LOT. I think that has been a major factor in keeping the loose skin at bay. Certainly at my age, 59 next week, elasticity is supposed to be much worse. The one thing i noted is that it is almost impossible to follow the suggestion to not lose too quickly as by nature WLS causes a much more rapid weight loss. I think that is why we are all particularly susceptible to this issue. I will give a scrub a go just to see if it helps. I do know that as I have always gotten at least 64 ounces of Water in, and for the last few months 96-128, my skin is very soft and feels good for the most part. I get my Protein, work out a TON, and use sunscreen. I have hopes that six months from now some of this will be better! I can't afford surgery. I would love it if everyone was to weigh in with their results in trying some of these things... The other thing of note is that I never thought I would be one to even care about a little loose skin as I have never been particularly vain in that way. But lo and behold, now that I look good and feel so good and wear a size 8 I do care in a new way. It makes me laugh at myself.

I am glad I could provide something somewhat positive for you as my hear hurt for your situation in not loving your sleeve and yet I also see myself in that as I would call it a love/hate relationship! I will PM you about the Facebook groups as they are private and by invitation. xoxo

I just read this whole thread and boy have things changed since my rosy post in the third month after surgery. I am now a year and almost a month out- and I am 2 pounds under my goal weight, or at any rate my doctor's goal, which was 162- a normal BMI. I myself am playing with the idea of aiming for 155, not quite sure why other than the fact these last few pounds have finally been coming from my belly- the place I most want it to go away ;-P, Back at the beginning, when I first posted, I had never gained. Not true now! I definitely fluctuate normally up a pound or so . When I say normally, this is besides the times when I embark on what I can only describe as lost weekends, lost weeks even. That kind of binge eating still bedevils me and I have gained as many as 8 pounds in 12 days. Luckily as soon as I eat clean for a few days the weight leaves, probably because it is mostly water weight as one of my favorite binge foods is buttered movie popcorn which we get free from our son the manager at a movie theater. I continue to work hard on my emotional issues to do with food- somehow I still tend to do things as "on" or "off" the plan and I really want to stop doing that! I want to be able to live life, have a treat here or there, and not be feast or famine. However, I have finally gotten that I am best served emotionally and physically, by not eating processed sugar and having that be the only rule now that I am essentially in maintenance. I allow myself everything else, and when I do that I maintain and do not feel deprived on a basic level. It feels like being a normal person. It is what I need to do. I will admit that I do not like this fact. I had hoped to could get to the point of popping a cinnamon bear or two before Zumba, for example, without it springboarding me to downing a large amount of slider ice cream, chocolate, etc. And that just is not the case for me . I do occasionally rail against the unfairness of it all. What helps me be ok with it? I never in my adult life have ever been smaller than size 16. I was size 24-26 when I started this journey and my goal was to be size 16 again if I possibly could.Right now people I am a freaking size EIGHT! I work out a TON, and so I now am very fit, I have long toned legs that I love after hating my legs my whole life. I love being in this body and having gone from being told I would soon be in a wheelchair and not being able to do anything but deep water classes to rocking 11 Zumba classes a week, walking three miles a day with my husband and our dog, and basically being a fit active attractive alive woman. Yes, I too sometimes moan about having to sort of but not exactly diet the rest of my life. My sleeve, Thumblina, is a great tool but is not perfect as she allow too many slider foods of exactly the wrong kind. But in the end, yes, I totally love my sleeve. By the way- I cannot stress enough the importance in my life of support. I belong to several Facebook groups that are so important to my success that I can hardly even articulate it! One of them does challenges every other month, and was directly responsible for me getting to goal. One of them is aimed at emotional work, getting to the bottom of why we became obese and how we can change the things we do to sabotage ourselves. Some of the people I have met in this way are in my heart forever.

ANd thank you everyone who complimented me. I am now on the scary road of maintenance lol! I actually do want to lose another five pounds but am very happy where I am.

I can only tell you what I did- I followed the "rules" strictly for the first six months- less than 40 carbs a day, 60-80 grams of Protein, more than 64 ounces of Water, and working out every day or nearly every day. Then, as I added more and more working out and basically got addicted to it I added carbs and calories as I got tired and realised I needed more. I also recommend reaching out for support- lots of it! I am in multiple Facebook groups and I join challenges in them all the time- accountability is everything, and so is support when the going gets tough. Most importantly- when you do blow it, binging, whatever form that takes for you- forgive yourself and move on! I was not perfect- an eleven day long lost weekend comes to mind lol. Keep on keeping on and move as much as you can! Good luck to you- I care! It is the best thing I ever did! You will love it. I am so glad I inspired you! We are never too old to come alive again! I look YEARS younger now, and feel it too. MWAH! I am so glad that you saw me! Speaking there means a lot to me. Do you come to the support group? I would love to connect with you more! I go every month. xoxo

A year ago yesterday my life changed forever! I made the best decision I ever made besides marrying my darling third husband lol. I had a VSG with Dr. JOhn Feng of the Palo Alto Medical Foundation- my hero. I started this journey at 280 pounds, depressed, reclusive, hibernating and in constant pain. Last week I hit my surgeons goal of a normal BMI and 118 pounds lost....WOW! Still losing and am not sure where I will end up. I went from that reclusive existance to doing nine Zumba classes a week, 8 Water classes, walking three miles a day with my husband and dog. I am toned, energetic, ALIVE!!!! Alas the pain is stil there but the lightness of being helps so much. VST was such a wonderful support for me, and though I have gone on the many Facebook pages that give challenges and daily support, I will always come home to this Forum!

How is this going CW? I too was found to be low iron and have not had my recheck yet. I have heard iron is the toughest one to get back up once it is low. IN addition to taking iron I have really stepped up iron rich food- artichokes, oysters, yes liver too lol.