mnbsleeve

Congratulations Nancy! You have accomplished a lot in just 4 short months!!!! I am confident the sleeve will help us all get through these tough hurddles and reach our goals. Sounds like you are well on your way!!!!!

H A P P Y B I R T H D A Y T A T U M ! ! ! ! ! You are beautiful! Congratulations to mom and dad on a beautiful family!!!!! Thank you Tiffykins for posting such precious pics and sharing this special moment with us here on the board. Obviously, it has touched us all.

Great pics Kelly! You look incredible!!! You inspire us all, not just with the pics, but with your dedication. Congratulations!!!!!

WOW!!! Kelly, congratulations!!!! You look awesome!!!!!! From your posts throughout I know you've been so dedicated to this process and it sure has paid off!!! Good job lady!!!!! You look incredible!!!!

SLL, I'm glad you liked the Nelson Mandela Quote. It inspires me all the time to keep moving forward. And you make perfect sense. I agree with you completely about self care and balance. I know I became a better parent, better partner, better friend, worker, etc., when I started taking care of myself and attending to some of my needs. I would joke that finally I was ON my own list! Eventually I made it to the top 10 in priorities. The surgery was the final move to the top! LOL I learned not to think of it as "selfish," In fact, that was the biggest "aha," to realize that taking care of myself is a responsibility. Best of luck on your journey. Sounds like you have your surgery coming up!!!! Woo Hoo!!! Some exciting times ahead!!!!!

Lynda!!! What an awesome post! Congratulations on all these great accomplishments. Your words "read" so happy, I can feel your joy as I read your words. I've read your posts early on when I first came on this board. You are just a bit ahead of me time wise. You always inspire me and this post is no exception! Enjoy the rewards of all this great effort. It is so well deserved!!!! Cheers to you!

Sandy!!!! Good luck tomorrow!!!! Good thoughts for a super speedy recovery. The liquid stage is soooo worth it!!!! KKsinisi, Best of luck to you as well! Fingers crossed that the weather cooperates... at least a few hours till you're sleeved LOL!!!! Good thoughts to the both of you. Looking forward to reading about your journeys!!!

Guys! You all look GREAT! Awesome costumes and you're all looking awesome in them!!! Have a great Holloween!!!! and thanks for posting!

Yipppeeee!!! ONEderland here you come!!!!!!!!

These are all such great responses! I don't really have anything to add but wanted to share that I have already gotten a couple of those "you are so 'skinny'" and "how much more weight are you going to lose?" which is really strange because I haven't even broken the 190's yet and I am NOT even half way to goal!!!! So geez!!! Like Kelly said above, I think some of these folks have only seen us bigger so cannot imagine us anyother way. But it is difficult, as Meg mentioned, to be the center of all that attention! I found that I tend to brace my self everytime I will be attending a particular event / meeting where folks haven't seen me in a while. I truly don't want to talk about me and my weight and my food and, and what I'm doing, and me, me, me.... you know? I guess I'm just venting too! LOL Glad to hear the experiences of others here though! Why I appreciate this board!

Chris, pictures are always so inspirational, but your choice of words really got to me: "the massive human being that I had become" because that's exactly how I was feeling. I had just never put it into words! The pictures are great! You are a good looking guy and now you look even better, younger, stronger and more fit! Congratulations!!!!! Good job!

Amanda!!! WOW!!!! You are looking great!!! I agree with the above post, you look so much younger!!! Congratulations!!! This is a great "during", I can hardly wait for the "after!"

Good Job Bemabound!!!! What a great accomplishment... both you and hubby!!! I'm sure this change is already having a positive effect on your family and your girls. You must be feeling so energized!!!! Congratulations!!!!!

Congratulations Skcunningham!!!! You are looking great! And what a great payoff to have your health back! Looks like you have really taken advantage of this opportunity and made the best of it. Truly to be congratulated! I don't doubt you will finish off these last few pounds... Thanks for posting! Keeps the rest of us inspired!!!

I hate to admit this but I have at least half my hair gone!!!! Maybe more. I started losing right away and still losing it: in the shower, when drying it, when brushing/styling even JUST STANDING THERE! It comes out like crazy! I take Biotin, vitamines, get down repulsive shakes -- even after they come back up. I love what someone posted above: my hair is thin, but at least I am too! LOL At this point I am just hoping I could hold on to a few strands to hang my dang extensions on!!!!

Yes, yes, yes!!!! I'm so in! SW 192 End 172 Goal -20 by Dec 25th! Thank you ForensikChic for starting the challenge! It's my first!!!! Yippee! :-)

Shanny, your post is very touching! I don't know why sometimes this has to be part of the journey but it is. I think it happens with all kinds of success, unfortunately, not just weight loss. I had a good friend not be able to "tolerate" when I finally achieved an educational goal. After watching me struggle for years, working and going to school, and litteraly clawing my way out of a whole, when I graduated she kept making malicious, downputting cracks about my new degree and asking if she had to address me with this or that title. It took it's toll on the friendship and even after years of close frienship, it ended. Or I should say, I ended it with a heavy heart. Because allowoing that toxicity in my life was bringing me down and I knew there was nothing I could do to help her with HER issue. Even if I downplayed my success and made myself smaller for her sake, it did not help because it was HER journey. I was really fortunate to have a really great psychologist do my psych eval before the surgery. He was great because he spent alot of time helping me process some these issues that could come up - the type you describe above. At the time I did not think it would apply. I sort of laugh it off inside. He told me to be prepared for colleagues who in the past would have been "impressed" with me in some way but that now would turn on me. He said sometimes people hold this internal thought: "yeah, she did that great, or she's really good at that (or whatever), BUT she's really fat!" and that serves to quelch their insecurities. He told me not to be surprised if those same people, that once were encouraging or supportive, would now become downputting in some way, whether obvious or subtle, or feel threatened or even feeling "targeted" by your changes. He included, partners, friends, family... in different ways of course, but similar dynamic. So there you have it, if the psychologist brings it up, it sounds like it's unfortunately a prevalent situation. Some have the misfortune to experience it more than others, or in closer relationships than others. We just don't have control over others' process or feelings, choices, journey -- even though I spent a good chunk of my adult life deluding myself that I did have that control and adapted my self to accomodate other's insecurities. Sorry this post is so long but a quote came to mind from Nelson Mandela. It really helped me years ago when dealing with that situation I shared. I'll post it below. Wishing you all the best. Hang in there, keep strong. You did not nothing wrong. You just let your light shine (sorry so corney! ) OUR DEEPEST FEAR IS NOT THAT WE ARE INADEQUATE Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkenss, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There's nothing Enlightened about shrinking so that Other people won't feel insecure around you. We are born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously Give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our fear, Our presence automatically liberates others. Nelson Mandela

Hi Rev! I'm only 4 and 1/2 months out but have struggled with some of the things you talk about. I wanted to share that a big challenge for me has been getting the shakes in. I too have had lots of trouble getting them in which in turn caused the problems with the rest of my food intake as you discribed. What I did to get those suckers down is relaxed the rules. In other words, my NUT wanted me to keep the carbs below 5 per drink and Protein of at LEAST 20. I am lactose intolerant big time now and for some reason, just about all shakes give me the runs, if I don't puke first! Sorry :-) None of the powders/soups/drinks seem to work! What I do now is use soy milk and frozen fruit, sometimes fresh, like blueberries or strawberries. I've also been able to tolerate yogurt so I ad some of that and I found a whey protein that has many more carbs but I use that and double up. I can get up to 50 grams of protein in one shake! If I can't finish the entire shake in the morning, I save it and finish it in the afternoon. (I bought a bullet which really helps) This has made a HUGE difference in how I feel and in keeping me even keeled. I have lots of energy to work out as well -- although on occasion I get that "weak feeling" starting in my arms, like they are super heavy. Then I know I'm low on nutrition. I also have a juicer and juice greens - green vegies, especially leafy greens. I don't juice fruit because of the sugar content. I use to do this before surgey as well. You can get fluids in but most importantly a ton of nutrition!!! I have to say, you have to get used to the flavor, but for me, it feels like I take a shot of some kind of magic because it realy energizes me immediately. I really missed it when I could not do it right after surgery. I get organic greens. You don't have to do much. I do about 8oz worth, but you may want to try 3 - 4oz in the begining. Just juice a few kale leaves, celery stalk and cucumber, for example. You can also add a litte parsley. Juicers can be expensive but in my opinion, they are worth it. You get lots of antioxidants as well as vitamines and minerals. (sounds like a commercial, LOL) Like Amanda, I turn to a "to go" shake when I am out and about and struggle with what to eat, what sounds right etc. But use the Ensure, lactose intolerant. Again, it's got more carbs and cals than my NUT would like, but too bad! At least I eat and feel right. CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR UPCOMING NUPTUALS!!!!! I imagine what a stressful time this must be, especially with the holidays and all the "fun stuff" you describe! :-) It's possible that all of the preparations in themselves are taking a bit of a toll and things may just get better (i.e., more energy, relaxed, mood,) after the big day! There's alot going on in your life right now and I would not underestimate the effect these things have on our state of being! I wish you a beautiful day!!!!! Hope to see pics in the future!!!! and congrats on ALL you have accomplished!!!!! PS: the Vitamin tip from meggie sounds good too! especially during this stressful time! Be well!

Hi Decamom! I am sorry that I don't have anything to add that would be helpfull. But I did want to send you some good thoughts your way that this gets resolved for you soon! I'm sure it must be a little scary not knowing what's going on. Hang in there! I'msure you will get to the bottom of it!!!!!

Hello Jewels! I'm such a dork! I had not seen this threat before! At 4/12 months out I am doing great. I've resumed my life pretty normally. It's included travel, family reunions and celebrations. I am working out and staying active. I feel well, energetic - which is good. I've had lots of stalls but I have come to accept that this is how my body seems to do things because at some point I also get these big drops. Overall, I am thrilled with my sleeve. I am right about to get out of the 190's!!!!! I am at 191 this morning!!! Maybe I can do it by the end of the month!!!! (In 5 days?!) I'll be working out extra hard this week to "help my body" along :-) Hope everyone is doing well. I love reading the progress posts, especially pics!!! I have to post some myself. I also love reading the NSV's. It so inspiring when I see people changing -- their lives really!!! Best to all of you!!! I'm sure I will "run into you" in the boards!!!!!

Guys! You are looking GREAT!!!!! Wowsa!!!!!

Welcome to the forum. There's a lot of great information here and a GREAT group of people. Lots of support! Best of luck to you on this journey!!!!

LOL! Didn't you know? chocolate is MEDICINE!

I was pretty strict through month four. Then I relaxed a little. I had a sip of wine, occasionally a little dark chocolate square. I've also had a small fingerling potatoe with my meal of protein and veggies, and I've had a few pitas with cheese for snacks. I would attribute my "stalls" to this except that I stalled more so before when I stayed on program perfectly. I definitely don't overdo and it's only been on very few occasions. But, as someone already said, it's nowhere near what I may have eaten before. It really is a "bite"!!! So, with the working out I think it gets burned off :-) No matter, it helps me feel "normal" and that I will be able to do this "forever." I just feel control now that I didn't before, even if I have something "not so good for you" - it 's just a bite, rarely more than twice in one week, and I've still remained around 600 to 800 calories.

Congratulations on the photo shoot, the 5K, and your great success!!! You look awesome!!! Thanks for posting this great pics!!!! Very inspirational!