SKCUNNINGHAM

Don't forget frozen shrimp (with the tails on). A great source of protein. And the shrimp sauce to dip them into. Also - dill relish to use with tuna and light mayo for a quick tuna salad. and in the gourmet section of my store (such as it is) they have packages of little squares of melba toast - to make orderves out of - I use them with laughing cow triangles of cheese. Two triangles of cheese and 8-10 mini toasts make a quick and filling lunch. A also like the cherry / grape tomatoes - both the yellow and red. And cucumbers and asparagras and yellow crookneck squash.

I am so happy for you! You are an inspirations to all of us on the site. Where you are now, we all strive to be. About your height / weight - have you ever been weighed underwater to determine your body fat %? It must be super low. Don't mean to be nosy - I'm just curious Me, I'm the opposite. I have high % of body fat - although it's got to be lower now that I've lost 70 pounds. Again - congratulations on achieving peace of mind and easing into maintenance.

Your stomach will figure out a way to signal your mouth to stop chewing and swallowing. From what I have read on this site, the little sleeve stomach are quite clever that way. Mine certainly has a clear "FULL" signal. When you get on food, ask yourself after you swallow each bite "am i full yet?". Pay attention to any signals that your body might be giving you. Hopefully, you will pick up on your body's signal without having to figure it out the "hard" way of either eating to discomfort or vomiting a few times before you catch on to the signal. I agree with the other posters - my comfort /full / discomfort points are close together. If I don't pay close attention while I am eating (like eating while being on the computer) I miss the signal. OUCH!

I had been on Prozac for about five years before my surgery. I had decided to wean myself off of them prior to surgery - after discussing this with my PCP. I haven't felt like I have needed them since surgery. I have been hormonal since the surgery (see my post "I'm in puberty hell") but that has moderated. I haven't been depressed since surgery - I have been TIRED due to low blood pressure and being anemic - but not depressed. I am in touch with my feelings enough to realize I have experienced some grief since the surgery for the loss of my previous relationship with food - but that isn't depression. I may need meds again at some point in my life - I will practice vigilence to make sure if I need them - I will get back on them. I think once of the things that drives me to depression is feeling out of control about things in my life. Having the sleeve and working the tool successfully has given me a great sense of control, which takes away a big trigger for me. Good luck.

I did two experiements, two different evenings, to see what alchohol will do to me. I had a small amount of beer (about /14 c) one evening. Another time, I had a small amount of tequila (2T). Both evenings I got light headed a got a buzz feeling. I am not having any more alchohol until I hit goal. But I plan on having the occasional drink once I get there. I guess my drinks will all be served in shot glasses, and I will sip them slowly. I haven't tried wine. Maybe someone else can help you out there.

When I was in the mushie stage, I pureed a bunch of "meals". They tasted great!

You look amazing! I don't know where another 23 pounds is going to come from - everything looks just fine where you are. Enjoy this summer with your smoking hot bod and the attitude to match.

Thanks for this post - quite a cool way to look at things. And, one of the most important things about the sleeve, is that it provides us hope for getting our weight in control.

Just a thought here - if you are worried because friends and co-workers ask how much you have lost, and you feel bad if you keep telling them the same number - tell them you only weigh once a month (or once every two months - whatever you feel like telling them) - it is part of your program. Then you could say - last time I weighed - I had lost X pounds - but I can tell I am smaller than I was then. If you keep telling everyone this - they may quit asking you the same question every time they see you.

Hey Rootman - give us an updated status! How far is that belt wrapping around you now? What size are you in here at the 4th of July? You are doing great! I appreciate your thoughtful responses to peoples' postings.

1) Mix with Salsa and a little shredded low fat cheese. 2) Marinate chicken in soy sauce based marinade 3) Mix 3-4 oz chicken with 2 T. Dill relish and 2T lite mayo for chicken salad. 3) Get mustard (yellow or dijon) and add sweetener to make a honey mustard. Dip chicken cubes on toothpicks into honey mustard. 4) I have a lime chilli rub from Williams Sonoma that is tasty on chicken 5) Slice chicken very thin and cut into pieces about as big around as a cucumber. Make "sandwiches" using two thin slices of cucumber with a piece of chicken between them.

Don't worry about the pain while you are in the hospital - they give you drugs so you won't feel the pain. You may feel like your feet aren't touching the floor, but you won't feel pain. Once I got home (after a one night stay) I had to take a total of one pain pill - ever. Haven't had so much as a tylenol. The only time I hurt some was trying to figure out a comfortable way to sleep and get out of the bed or recliner. I recommend you get a weight / support belt (Walmart - like warehouse guys wear) and wear it 24/7 for the first couple of weeks. That and get a heating pad.

Congratulations on the weight loss! And, IMHO, start screening your calls so do don't talk to people you know are going to upset you.

I am going to miss my 4th of July Challenge by a few pounds (drat my recent stall) - but that is not keeping me from setting two challenging goals By 8/22 - my six months anniversary - I want to lose a total of 85 pounds SN..............................Starting Wt........Current.......Goal.......Lbs to Goal SKCUNNINGHAM.....253......................183.............167.............15 By Labor Day, I want to lose a total of 95 pounds SN..............................Starting Wt........Current.......Goal.......Lbs to Goal SKCUNNINGHAM.....253......................183.............157.............25 This Labor Day goal will have me below the 150 mark on my home scales!

Women's sizes have gotten larger over the last 50 years - just read an article on that not too long ago. I don't know about guys sizing. Your sizing makes a lot more sense than women's sizes do, to me. A 38 pr of pants has a 38" waist - makes perfect sense. A size 16 women's pair of pants has nothing on it that is a 16. Congrats on the weight loss!

THAT HAS TO BE ONE OF THE BEST NSV's I'VE EVER HEARD OF. WAY TO GO!

I was surprised to find out I am in the middle of Acceptable - I thought I would still be OBESE. I guess my head hasn't caught up to how much weight I've lost. My BMI still calculates me as obese, but in 10 more pounds I will be just overweight. My % is 27.5%. Another cool thing to track. When I hit goal, I am going to go get underwater weighed at the Cooper Clinic in Dallas.

When I was a kid - thongs were what they now call flip-flops - and I didn't like the feel of the material rubbing between my toes. I have never gotten past the idea of having material rubbing between other parts of my body. I have had younger female family members explain it is kind of like getting use to wearing a bra - soon you won't notice it. If you like the look of yourself wearing a thong, and don't mind the way it feels - go for it!

CONGRATULATIONS! What a victory! Keep up the great work.

Maddie - you look OUTSTANDING! Congratulations! BTW - love the lashes in the fancy photos. Were they a problem to get put on? To get removed?

The best Protein Drink I use in ISOPURE PLUS. I ordered two cases from Amazon (I live in the middle of nowhere). It comes in an alpine punch flavor and a grape frost flavor. Both are "lightly" flavored - not strong like some of the fruit flavored Protein Drinks. 8 oz has 15 grams of Protein. I use them now if I realize I haven't gotten enough protein in towards the end of the day. Early on, I also mixed unflavored protein in sugar free fat free pudding (I'm not too terribly lactose intolerant). I use nectar brand protein powder in either vanilla Bean torte or Fuzzy Navel to make fruit smoothies for Breakfast. A little bit of fruit, the protein powder, some crushed ice and Water. Throw it into the magic bullet and in a nanosecond or two you have a shake. I ordered these online -from unjury site. The best milky-type protein drink (premixed) is Myoplex. The chocolate and the vanilla are both good. You can find it lots of places - I get mine at WalMart - (WM even has a store in the middle of nowhere). I use these if I don't have time to whip up the smoothie, or if I need to take a meal with me. I have to put protein in my stomach every 4-5 hours, so this is a good way to do that. Hopes this helps. Good Luck!

Congratulations on your decision. You are doing the right thing, IMHO. I am also 5' 4". Back in 1987 I also weighed 204 and lost down to 118 through modifast. Three years later, I was back up to 180 and went on modifast again and lost back down to 130 (needed surgery). In the mid 90's I was back "up" in weight again, and went on basically a doctor supervised south beach with a ton of minerals and supplements. Lost well - till I got tired of taking 80 pills a day. I gained everything back and was up to 237 in 2002. Over the next 9 months I lost 103 pounds with a high Protein low carb diet with the help of a hypnotist and becoming a serious gym rat. Great way to lose weight, but when I quit listening to my hypnosis CD's and had a car wreck that prevented me from exercising, I started gaining weight again. My sleeve was on 2/22 of this year (took me a year to get approved). My highest weight was 262 - last September. DON'T chicken out this time - don't do what I did and spend years losing and gaining, losing and gaining. As some blonde weight guru that used to be on television would say "Stop the Insanity". I really hope you go through with the surgery. The sleeve provides us a tool for much more than losing weight (although it is OUTSTANDING for that purpose). The sleeve provides us a tool to KEEP THE WEIGHT OFF for life. That is what I need. I think your headache is due to withdrawing from sugar, white carbs and caffeine. I had a headache most of my two week pre surgery diet. It does go away. I consoled myself during that time with a quote my trainer used to tell me "Pain is a sign of weakness leaving the body." I would tell myself it was making me stronger for the fight ahead of me. And I think your desire for food is as much caused by wanting the comfort food brings you as in any real hunger you are feeling. Food was my "go-to solution" for everything I felt. Now I get comfort from the great feeling of control I have. If I get hungry, I go try on clothes I haven't worn for years, or take my measurements, or try on rings and bracelets that fit for the first time in years. Didn't mean to write a book. Good luck.

I started out crushing any prescription pills I was on (BP, hormones). Then I switched to quarters, then halfs and now I am swallowing pills whole. My viatims are gummy form, my calcium is a taffy-like chewable. Vitamin D is a liquid. I am also on chewable iron (the best tasting / least nasty one is Bariatric Advantage) and sublingual B12. I also take Biotin to help my hair - it is also sublingual.