mnbsleeve

Yolanda, sounds like you look and feel wonderful! Can't ask for more than that!!! Congratulations on this great accomplishment!!!!! Rock those skinny jeans!!!!!!

Irene! What can I say? You are amazing!!! Your wonderful attitude has gotten you through AND has inspired so many of us. You warm my heart. When I see your name on a post, I immediately smile! You deserve all this wonderful success!!!!! I love that you are living your dream!!!! You go girl!!!!!! Show off that beautiful YOU - insides and outsides!!!!!!!! CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!! XO XO XO

Awesome!!! Congratulations you sexy mamma!

Wow!!! Wonderful!!!!! Congratulations!!!!! You inspire us all!!!! Enjoy the new you!

Carrie, I don't have much to add but I wanted to lend my support and say hang tight. Time will fly and before you know it, you will be on your way. Others have already given you wonderful suggestions. I just wanted to wish you luck with this journey and your health! You sound so determined and ready to make a change. I look forward to reading about your progress! Be well!

Welcome Waterlover! These boards are great with lots of wonderful people ready to help out and support. Best of luck on this wonderful journey. I will say that for me, and I may be speaking for a lot of us, every step has been worth it. I could not be happier with this surgery. I've had a great experience and I am feeling so happy. I wish you the very best. Please post your thougths and questions. We are all happy to chime in and help out where we can.

My surgeon explained that in the beginning we will rely on shakes more because we cannot eat enough quantity/volume to get all the needed protein. As time goes on, the ratio changes and you may use a shake here and there to supplement. Most don't need them at all after a while and just eat the right foods. I'm still using shakes to help me get my proteins in, mostly when I am working out hard, and not necesarily daily. But definitely, the goal is to focus on nutrition and hydration. If we make good choices, the sleeve will naturally control portions.

Hang in there guys! It will happen for you. It's a very stressful time, with all the anticipation and all the tests, appointments etc. Hoping you get good news soon!!! Fingers crossed for you!!!!!

Congratulations!!!! A great success! I too felt so at ease this Thanksgiving. Food was simply not an issue. I just made healthy choices and with the sleeve, I had a built in portion control. I have to say, I felt great both emotionally and physically. I had a bunch of energy to do the clean up too! LOL As always, it is difficult watching others fill their plates and then go back for more. But I mostly felt happy to feel in control!

And what a success you are indeed!!!! You look fantastic!!!! You have accomplished so much! Love your blog! Love your attitude and outlook on things. Congratulattions!!!!!

That is the best feeling!!! CONGRATULATIONS ranoodle!!!!! You are going to have one happy reunion with hubby!!!

How AWESOME!!!! Congratulations Rev Me Up!!!!! Will you post pics?!

Love these photos!!! and I have to say YOU LOOK GREAT!!!!!!! Posts like yours keep me motivated and remind me I can get there too. Congratulations! You have really made this tool work for you. BTW, in my excitement I recently got rid of a bunch of clothes including all my large pants! Now I wish I had kept one. I do have a huge top however. It's the one I was wearing in "the photo" that made me see that I had to do something significant and get this weight issue under control. I will be sure to save it and do some before and after with it when I get to goal. Like sleeve above said, my top is more of tent than a top :-) so I will have to be creative as to how I do the before and after! Thanks again for the great post!

Pasquini, how awesome!!!!!!! CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!

I doubt that you gained 5 pounds. We all have slips, even with the sleeve. It doesn't make our choices for us. But don't beat yourself up. As Paul said above, new day, new start. Just regroup and move on. You will do great. For me, dweling on the negative feelings tends to drag me down and keeps me from seeing the bright side of things - like what I did right or keeping perspective (things weren't that bad). So accept you are only human and back to rocking that sleeve! Congrats on the progress you made so far!!!

Woo hoo!!!! Congratulations on the smaller panties!!! I think camies are sexy! They feel very nice underneath one's clothes. Also, it seems to me they make your tops fall nicer somehow. I stopped wearing them years ago because they tended to ride up... Thanks for your post. You made me think to try some again!

Knee! Don't panic. It could be that you overdid it since it hasn't been even two weeks from your surgery. But I doubt you did damage to your stomach. It is most likely muscle pain in the incision area. I was about a month out and pain free and sneezed and I got terrible pain on my side for about a week. My surgeon told me it was the muscle that was still healing and I somehow strained it. I freaked thinking it may be the stomach. I AM NOT A DOCTOR but just sharing my experiences. Lets see what others have to say. Someone may have additional imput. Just rest up and take it easy. I saw your post on all the calories you burned on Fitness.com LOL You did some serious walking girl!!! :-) Hope you feel better soon!!!!

You look absolutely beautiful!!!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! and like others have said, and I've said it before, NO WAY you look much over 30!!!! YOU GO GIRL!!!!! You rocked that sleeve now rock your life!!!!! xoxoxox

My cardiologist told me "plain and simple, your body is working against you!" I also have PCOS and have struggled with infertility and weight. While I've always had zero cholesterol, low blood preasure, great blood sugar, I do great stress tests on treadmill (always been active), excellent EKG etc. (all evidence of healthy living) I could not loose the darn weight. At least not significant amounts. I MUST keep my calories to about 800 and that is very difficult to do without a sleeve in the long run. I just turnd 49 so things were not getting any easier for me. BTW, I have completed a few sprint distance tri s, several cycling events and a number of 5Ks and 10ks. This while overweight! pre-surgery! I read "Slow Fat Triathlete" a few years ago and it encouraged me to not give up living an active life style for being fat (great book by the way!). But I dont' want to be fat anymore!!!! I was told, not by my surgeon, but my cardiologist, that I was a great candidate for this surgery because my body was working against me and I was willing to do the work long term. So it's not "easy." EVERYBODY IS DIFFERENT I am just sharing my experience. I envy that you are just 26! This was not available for me at that age. Lots of us here on this board have said we regret we did not have this done sooner!!! LOL I wish you the best of luck on this journey Estelle. I know it can be challenging at many different levels!

Hi Chunky! I don't have much to add to the great advice others have given. I just want to add my support and say congratulations on all the effort you are putting into this phase. You will get through it!!! and it will be so worth it!!!!! Hang in there! We are all rooting for you!!!!

Sara, thank you for this great post! You look absolutely beautiful!!!! Congratulations!!!!!!

Congratulations Paul!!!! I say go for the gold!!!!!! :-)

Wowza! You look absolutely stunning!!!!! Love that dress!!!! Congratulations on everything you have accomplished. Enjoy the new you!!!!

SK! You look like a new woman!!!! You look GREAT! Congratulations on all of these wonderful accomplishments!!! I know what you mean about feeling like you would not have put yourself out there pre-surgery! I'm only half way to my goal and I'm already feeling that confidence and excitement you talk about. It really is incredible how much we were holding in. Thanks for the well wishes. Back at you! And Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!

Geeewhy! Congratulations!!!! Good job on the great progress!!!!!! Looking forward to reading more about your journey! Enjoy the new you!!!