SKCUNNINGHAM

Nine months ago today I had my sleeve surgery with Dr. Nick at the Forest Park Medical Center in Dallas. Highest weight (a year ago Septmeber was ~265. My start weight was 253, my weight Day of Surgery was 241. I now weigh 150 pounds, with 15 pounds to go to goal. My highest BMI wass 44.7 -now I'm at 25.3 - almost in the normal range! I have lost 13.5" from my waist and 11.5" from my hips. I was in a 24W or 3X top, now I am wearing 12 Petites and a Medium top. This nine months have been spent learning - learning how to make the sleeve work for me, learning how to handle stress without shoving food into my mouth, learning how to relate to food in a totally different way. I still have a ways to go to cope with being a "normal size" food addict (kind of like a "dry" drunk) but life is really good now. I have the confidence to jump into the job market. My company is offering me early retirement with a settlement, so I am going to take it and get back in the job market. I already have some companies interested in hiring me, but I know that is a long way from having a new job (yet). I don't think I would have put myself on the market this way if I had still been morbidly obese as I was before my sleeve. I am keeping my fingers crossed until I get a new job! Thanks to all of you on this forum who have given me support and encoragement during my journey. It has really helped. I wish all of you continued success with your individual sleeve journies, and also a blessed Thanksgiving holiday. Sharon NB - I have attached a picture from today and one from about 2 weeks after my surgery.

You are amazing. Congratulations! Enjoy all of the joys your success brings you. Best of luck in reaching your future goals Sharon

I took and still take a Famatodine (pepcid) when I first get up, with Water to wash it down. I like to drink something warm in the morning.(tea or broth) It is important for me to start drinking fluids as soon as I get up. I have a Protein drink or smoothie or maybe yogurt with extra protein in it or cottage cheese for Breakfast. then 30 minutes later, more liquid. I don't try to eat real food til mid day. If I feel gassy or crampy or like there is too much acid in my stomach, I drink something warm and take a GASX strip. I took another Famatodine (Pepcid) in the evening up until about six months, along with a prilosec. Now I just take the prilosec. Early on, Vitamins made me nauseous. It took me awhile to settle on what would work for me. I take adult gummy vitamins from costco in the morning, along with calcium chews. I take chewable Iron and C at night. Hang in there, it gets better.

When you get that hungry feeling, drink something warm. My beverages of choice at those times were broth and mint tea. I would drink something warm and put a GASX strip in my mouth. Really helped those feelings go away. I attributed them to stomach acid and gas.

WAY TO GO! Congrats on rocking the sleeve on vacation.

CT - Way to go, guy! I am proud of you. I can relate to the anxiety when eating - at some level I think if I put one wrong bite in my mouth, the 100 pounds will come back. It's not as bad now as it was earlier on. Keep up the good work! Sharon

O V A T I O N (That's a Standing Ovation for you) Congratulations!

obviously I have backrubs on my brain right now - I meant to suggest taking decadent bubble baths. Sharon

Coops - I totally understand and relate to where you are. First of all, congratulations on all the weight you have lost, and on still being dam* near perfect in your eating control this far into your journey. On the menopause front - how about biting the bullet and getting on some hormone therapy? If your doctor isn't a fan of it, go to an alternative source (health food store, alternative practitioner) and ask him or her for some help. I have been where you are and it is H E double L on earth to put up with. I am on estrogen and I will be on it (hopefully) until I am really old. This is the 21st century and we women should not have to put up with menopause without drugs and or some form of help. I think if that awful stuff would lessen, everything else would get easier. Have you thought about giving yourself an official vacation from trying to lose weight. Maybe for two weeks, you just do what you know to do that will keep you at the same spot, and focus on doing things you enjoy? Enjoyment doesn't have to be centered on food. Put the scale in the cupboard for two weeks and declare it is NATIONAL BE NICE TO COOPS fortnight. Read books you like, listen to music you like, get and give luxurious backrubs to / from your husband, take decadent bathrubs, go for long drives / walks in the country - whatever is your pleasure. You have been fighting the good fight for a while now and deserve a break. For your "vacation" your goal is to just maintain - not lose. After you have given yourself a break and also maybe gotten some help with the menopause, I bet you will be ready to pick up the battle-gear and get back in the fight. I hope this helps. DON"T BE DOWN ON YOURSELF - you have done outstanding. I know you have been an inspiration to me. Sharon

You can do this - make it until your surgery and make it through the surgery. Somewhere, you probably have had someone work with you on positive imagery. Try to do some of this. Put on some relaxing music you like - not too loud - I am imagining you are listening to some quite jazz. Lay day or get in a recliner. Adjust the room light to a soothing dimmness. Lay back, close your eyes and take some deep breaths. Try to not think about anything at first, just concentrate on taking slow deep breaths. Then, think back to a time you were thin and happy. (or if you have never been thin, imagine yourself being thin and happy). Picture this thin, happy you doing the things you can't do now but would like too. Maybe wearing a pair of "skinny jeans" - or some sexy VS underwear for a special someone to enjoy with you - or doing some physical activity you miss doing (horseback riding, swing dancing, skydiving - whatever is your passion). Try to give this skinny happy you as rich and satisfying life as you can imagine. Don't let yourself think about getting to that point - just think about being at that point. Make that vision as desirable as you can - you really need to make it something you want really really badly. Keep the fantasy going for a while. Once you are ready to come back to the you lying in the recliner, open your eyes. Immediately tell yourself that the life you imagined is yours for the taking - all you have to do is have the surgery and follow your doctor's program. Nothing that you can think between now and surgery is worth denying yourself the great life you imagined. Don't let anyone (you included) or anything stop you from achieving your goal. Good luck. If your cognitive therapist can't help you and you want to work on this kind of stuff - any hypnotist should be able to help you. Sharon

Meg - you look gorgeous! You look like you are 10 years younger, too. Way to go. Welcome to the century club. Here's to you and I both losing our final 15-16 pounds QUICKLY. Sharon

I pretty much do what MeginNOLA does. Some places that I regular eat or get food from: Mexican - fajita meat cooked in onion and tomatoes (different places call this dish different things) and it comes with steamed zucinni at my favorite place. An order is 2 or 3 meals for me. Chinese - chicken and veggies or shrimp and veggies - no rice or Hot and Sour Soup with no crunchy yummies for the top. Chicken Wing place - I get the naked wings or naked tenders Cracker Barrel - I get the roast beef or the meat loaf with green Beans and carrots. This lasts me 2 meals now. I have always considered a restaurant menu a list of suggestions. I typically read the menu thinking "protein" and "veggies" and then order what I want based on what they have. If I want a baked chicken breast with sliced tomatoes, I order it that way - even if it isn't listed on the menu in that form. This works best with full service places, but some other restaurants are accomidating. I can sometimes be the customer from H**l, but I was the same way before the sleeve. I sometimes take the meat from one "suggestion", the veg from another and the sauce from a third. If they serve it to me willingly and graciously, I overtip like crazy. If they choose to not accomodate me, they don't get my business a second time.

Throughout my almost nine months since surgery, I have eaten my required protein (60 then 80 grams) then veggies (if I have room). I also got carbs from protein drinks (low carb ones), cottage cheese, yogurts, and melba toast or flatbread crackers. I avoid the white carbs (bread, pasta, potatoes and rice) and don't go crazy on corn. This has worked from me - I am 15 pounds away from goal. Once I get to goal, I will start easing some white carbs back in my eating plan.

Congratulations! There is a thread on the site that has a great discussion of looking like you weigh less than you do. It is all about the ratio of fat to muscle individuals carry. I agree with you - better to weigh more and look good, than less and look bad.

Coops - you look GREAT! You look young and yes TINY. Enjoy the complements from those you work with and ignore the stupid stuff some ignorant folks say. Congratulations! Sharon

Great NSV!

Congratulations! 99 pounds is wonderful - you have lost over 3 times as many pounds as you have left to lose. I love to visualize my weight loss that way.

I was in a week long class this week, with people from all over the country. No one had seen me in person before, only had worked with me remotely. I have a bum ankle/foot - which precludes me from wearing normal dress shoes. I wear orthotic inserts, a metal plate under one insert, and usually an ankle brace of some sort. To fit all this gear in, I wear Chuck Taylor's Converse All Star Tennis shoes with my work attire. I indulge my love of pretty shoes by having an assortment (20 pair0 of Chucks (lots of high tops) that match any business outfit I have. One of the woman at the class was complimenting my shoes on Friday. I explained why I wore Chucks - and mentioned to her I had to decide whether to something like them or bite the bullit and wear orthotic / nursing shoes. She said - "Oh, you are way to young to wear orthotic shoes. You are so beautiful thin, the Chuck's look really cute on you. They make a statement - you are young, with a edge. They are just part of your "brand."". I was so pleased, I laughed aloud. I can't imagine she would have said the same thing to me 9 months and 100 pounds ago. Her comments startled me - being considered young - as I will be 55 this Christmas - and meing caled beautiful thin and cute also took my breath away. This might me the nicest thing anyone has said to me since my surgery.

Diva - hope the procedure went well and you are on the road to feeling better. You will fit into those size 4 levis size 0 vanity sizes in no time! My 12 skinny jeans from Levi's are starting to get lose - but NO WAY my skeleton would ever fit into a 4. You are a TINY and beautiful woman. WAY TO GO! Sharon

Thank you Coops, SunnyDays, and LoserMomma for the support and suggestions. Got back from my trip last night about midnight. Stepped on the scale this morning - and I weighed the same as when I left. YEA! I didn't expect to lose - just stay the same - so I met my expectations. It wouldn't surprise me if I lost a pound this next week, once my body realizes it's back home. The place I stayed had a fridge and a micro in the room (Holiday Innn Express) - so that made the trip easier - no need to get a cooler and keep stuff iced. I took some baby bell cheeses with me and some individual servings of jerky, and some nectar Protein powder individual servings, and some Miralax & Benefiber individual servings. I also threw in a box of assorted crystal lite/propel Water flavor packets and one foil pack of tuna and salmon each. I stopped and got a four-pack of EAS Protein shakes and 4 Protein Bars as soon as I got to the town where my hotel was - and a few bottles of water. So I was good to go - no need to worry I would get caught without protein and have to eat junk. Some meals ate at restaurants with work associates - one pretty fancy place and a variety of other places. As I was reading the menus, I found myself looking for protein and veggies. Most any place you can find some choice that is protein with some kind of veggies. I have always thought of a menu as a list of suggestions, so I would basically order what I wanted and see if they could do it. Overall, I was pleased with my ability to find something to eat and to stick with eating what I should. I did eat a couple of things that weren't optimum - but only a bite or two. The trip was to attend two classes - so all week was in classroom settings. As I would have a snack mid morning and mid afternoon (cheese or 1/2 of a protein bar) I observed the rest of the room. A bunch of the normal / slender people in the room were also having Snacks at the same time. They didn't eat junk - it was ususally yogurt, or fruit or some kind of granola/healthy "bar". It reinforced to me the way we sleevers are supposed to eat is HOW NORMALLY THIN PEOPLE EAT. I did fine on getting in all my water / liquid. I didn't do as good at recording everything I ate - it was spotty. And, I didn't get in as much exercise as I should have. Sunny Days - I need to borrow a page out of your book and do better at that on my next trip. So I think overall, I would give my performance a passing grade - but room for improvement on the next trip. Thanks again Sharon

Before surgery, my husband, family, boss and a couple of close friends knew. After I got back to work and started losing, I told people when they asked abou my weight loss. I am not ashamed of it and don't try to hide it. But I am not trying to sell anyone on the idea of not hiding it. It is each of us's (bad grammar) own personal business. Whatever you decide - good luck on the journey.

For the first three weeks, I drank Water, Protein drinks, broth, herbal tea, and sugar free popsicles. I tried to get in as much protein as possible, but I doubt it was thirty grams of protein, and it was a struggle to get 40-60 oz of liquid in. For the second three weeks (mushies) I was eating pureed Soups (I loved pureed hot and sour soup), bean and bacon Soup (made with extra water), cottage cheese with applesauce (and Protein Powder mixed in),cottage cheese with salsa and protein powder, yogurt and protein powder, pudding and protein powder, and really loose chicken salad (lots of light mayo and pureed chicken). I drank Protein Drinks and made protein fruit smoothies. At six weeks, for Proteins, I was eating chicken, tuna, salmon, fresh fish, shrimp, pork roast (cooked in a crock pot), moist cooked ground beef, beef roast (cooked in a crock pot), baby bell cheese, laughing cow cheese, string cheese and cheddar or swiss cheeses. I really didn't start eating the pork or beef unitl about 3 months - at 6 weeks, it still upset my stomach. I also seldom eat eggs (maybe twice a week) - I have a very low tolerance for them - they make me break out in hives if I eat too many (old alergy - nothing sleeve related). Eggs are a good protein source and usually people have no trouble digesting them. The only dairy I ate was lowfat cottage cheese, lowfat Activia yogurt, or greek yogurt. I would occasionally (maybe once or twice a week) have a 60 calorie sugar free pudding cup. I might mix 1/2 applesauce or water packed peaches with the cottage cheese. For veggies - I ate tomatoes, green Beans, squash, cucumber, sugar snap peas, carrots, green peppers and carrots. I started asparagras at six weeks. I stayed away from raw celery (only ate it cooked), and brocolli / cauliflower (raw or cooked) - didn't start it until later. I would make smoothies for Breakfast with nectar protein powder and frozen strawberries and frozen banannas. I would sometimes use different fruit in the smoothies. For 1 smoothie , I use at most 1/2 bannana and approx 6 berries. I would eat a 2" long piece of corn on the cob maybe once /week. I would eat little melba toast squares occasionally with the laughing cow cheese on it. I didn't eat any other crackers or bread. I didn't (and still don't at 9 months) eat bread, Pasta, potatoes, rice or crackers). When I cook post roast, I might bend my rule and now eat a 1" cube of cooked potatoe. I drink EAS /Myoplex protein drinks for breakfast if I don't make a smoothie. I also will occasionally use an Isopure PLUS Protein Drink. I also eat sugar free popsicles and sugar free pudding cups. For the first six weeks, I probably was getting around 300-400 calories, and maybe 40 grams of protein. At 6 months, I ate between 65-80 grams of protein and maybe 800 calories. Some weekend days I now may go above the 80 / 800 mark. I don't ever want to go over 1000 unless I am working out A LOT that day. The things I can't eat now? Lots of raw celery, lots of raw cauliflower or broccoli, not more than 1/4 cup of corn or 1/4 of a long ear of corn, beef or pork that is too dry or spicy, or more than about 1/2 of salad. More than 2 swallows of liquor or 4 oz of beer or wine give me a buzz like two drinks did before. I also can not tolerate carbonated beverages at all. About two bites of something sweet and I have to stop - very rich foods I can't eat much of (THREE CHEERS FOR THAT!) I still avoid bread, pasta, rice, and potatoes. I might have one or two bites of rice or potatoes as a special treat - and I just don't do bread at all.

Wow! You are proof that dedication and diligence to your goals can get you the results you want! You are an amazing, beautiful woman. I admire you and am pleased for you. Sharon

My nutritionist said the max you could absorb at one time was 20 - 25 grams. I recommend taking half the shot, cutting it with something you like to drink and sipping it slowly. Save the other half for later.

I am leaving in a couple of hours for a business trip and I won't return until late Friday. I used to be a "road warrior" and traveled 80% of the time. When I became a road warrior, I was about 15 pounds smaller than I am now and was a real gym rat. Being on the road destroyed my disciplined exercise and eating habits - and over the next two years I became a 125 pound heavier couch potato. So, this is my first long business trip since being sleeved almost 9 months ago. I have made plans on how to get my Protein in, what to eat for Breakfast, etc. I will record everything I eat and drink. But I am a little scared. It is SO EASY to make poor choices when travelling. Anyway - I wanted to post this so I would have accountability to you guys to post an update on how I did after the trip. I WILL DO JUST FINE. (repeat to self periodically). Thanks for all the support I get from this forum - it really helps me keep focused Sharon