Nichelle

Holy, Moly, you look great! It looks like it was a moment that you just walked by this mirror turned and said damn I look good I need a pic of this body!! Great Job!

Well VST, here it is. I thought I would have so much more to write about when it came to and I probably do, but I want to go out and enjoy life its a beautiful day. My one year surgiversary is tomorrow. I couldn’t have imagined what life would be like a year from then and now that I am here today, I still can't believe where I was and where I am now. There are so many things that have changed for the good and a realization of so many things in my life that have come clear. The ride was fun, it wasn't always easy, it’s the best thing I have done for myself yet, it still takes work every day, and I wouldn't ever change my decision to have surgery. A of the simple things that have changed in my life:
*I can walk up a flight of stairs (and choose to now) without losing my breath
*I can jog nearly 3 miles
*I don't have a debate with myself whether I should get down on the floor to play with my niece because I can't get back up without some help of something to push off of (soon to have a nephew in just a few days!)
* I can shop in the regular section of all the clothing stores; Lost over 10 dress sizes and a shoe size
*I can see each side of a chair, noticed this in my car
*Seat belts fit without pulling them all the way out, haven't been on a plane since surgery, but I almost needed an extender on the flight I tightly squeezed it over my legs. Today I am sure that wouldn't be the case
*I have found a new love for cooking, gardening, and exercise
* I can see the pendant on my necklace that now hangs 2 or more inches lower
* I have lost 93 lbs AND counting, over 76 inches off my body (10 spots)
**I feel beautiful, healthy, and happy! I am ready for the future!
*** I feel normal; I have respect for myself and now so do others
This is a journey and this is only the beginning of the rest of my life. I still feel like I have more work to go to reach my own personal goals, but in my heart I felt (didn't believe) and in the eyes of my boyfriend and close friends I was always a winner. Now I can truthfully say I believe them and myself.
Thank you to my surgeon Dr. Ramos Kelly and to my wonderful coordinator Christi Beardon for making the process so simple. I want to also thank this site and the many of you that are a part of it that share your stories. I couldn't have done this without your support. Thank You!
Please feel free to check out my blog it has all my stats if you’re interested. Plus I have a gallery full of pictures from before all the way through to now. Here are a few. They are still shocking to me.
This was February 2011, 3 months before surgery

Before in San Diego exactly one year from today

Two days after surgery, shopping in Tijuana

Now....
11 Months

First ever swimsuit without boy shorts

Two Dresses I would have never worn before; well I've never worn a lot now I have a dozen

Congratulations!!! You are beautiful!

Congratulations you have come very far on your journey! What a fabulous gift. You look amazing!

This is such an inspiration! Thank you for posting!!

congratulations , you look incredible... i sooo cannot wait for my surgery now.. go in this thursaday 10th May,, and looking forward to looking as amazing as you..

I just started slow and walked on a treadmill 3-4 days. It was no specific distance just as far as I could go in 20 min. All aspects gradually increase. First my time moved up 5 minutes at a time then I moved the speed and the incline. As it got easier I just increased my workout. Yes, I do have a lot of lose skin. Its just a reality. I had 280lbs on my body the skin had to cover it and no matter what its not all just going to snap back young or not. There isn' anything I would change though the skin is just a battle scar.

Awsome!! You look very happy.... Great job

Congrats!!! You look amazing!!!!!! I need to start measuring my inches... Keep up the good work

You look amazing!!! Great Job!!! You're an inspiration!

Fabulous!

You look awesome!

You look awesome. Congrats.

You look amazing congrats can't wait to be in your shoes

Nichelle, congratulations on your year surgiversary... you've done a great job and you look great! I bet you feel it too... =]

Amazing! Great job working that sleeve!!

SHUT THE FRONT DOOR! YOU LOOK AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I would have never guessed that was you in the before picture! Wow! WAY TO GO! CELEBRATE!

Well VST, here it is. I thought I would have so much more to write about when it came to and I probably do, but I want to go out and enjoy life its a beautiful day. My one year surgiversary is tomorrow. I couldn’t have imagined what life would be like a year from then and now that I am here today, I still can't believe where I was and where I am now. There are so many things that have changed for the good and a realization of so many things in my life that have come clear. The ride was fun, it wasn't always easy, it’s the best thing I have done for myself yet, it still takes work every day, and I wouldn't ever change my decision to have surgery. A of the simple things that have changed in my life:
*I can walk up a flight of stairs (and choose to now) without losing my breath
*I can jog nearly 3 miles
*I don't have a debate with myself whether I should get down on the floor to play with my niece because I can't get back up without some help of something to push off of (soon to have a nephew in just a few days!)
* I can shop in the regular section of all the clothing stores; Lost over 10 dress sizes and a shoe size
*I can see each side of a chair, noticed this in my car
*Seat belts fit without pulling them all the way out, haven't been on a plane since surgery, but I almost needed an extender on the flight I tightly squeezed it over my legs. Today I am sure that wouldn't be the case
*I have found a new love for cooking, gardening, and exercise
* I can see the pendant on my necklace that now hangs 2 or more inches lower
* I have lost 93 lbs AND counting, over 76 inches off my body (10 spots)
**I feel beautiful, healthy, and happy! I am ready for the future!
*** I feel normal; I have respect for myself and now so do others
This is a journey and this is only the beginning of the rest of my life. I still feel like I have more work to go to reach my own personal goals, but in my heart I felt (didn't believe) and in the eyes of my boyfriend and close friends I was always a winner. Now I can truthfully say I believe them and myself.
Thank you to my surgeon Dr. Ramos Kelly and to my wonderful coordinator Christi Beardon for making the process so simple. I want to also thank this site and the many of you that are a part of it that share your stories. I couldn't have done this without your support. Thank You!
Please feel free to check out my blog it has all my stats if you’re interested. Plus I have a gallery full of pictures from before all the way through to now. Here are a few. They are still shocking to me.
This was February 2011, 3 months before surgery

Before in San Diego exactly one year from today

Two days after surgery, shopping in Tijuana

Now....
11 Months

First ever swimsuit without boy shorts

Two Dresses I would have never worn before; well I've never worn a lot now I have a dozen

Horrible thread, yet evidence that the sleeve is just a tool. Please be kind to each other. Remember it takes time to heal you did just have major surgery. Also remember you didn't get to be big all of a sudden it was years and years of bad habits that you should learn to change. Fake or not fake this person is simply asking for help and understanding from us all who have at some point gone through a similar stage. Remember there is a healthier way to eat, that I would highly recommend you check into, but only if that is your choice. I will promise to you this one thing if it is meat you crave you will be able to eat it. Just possibly not this close out of surgery. I don't want to rub it in your face, but I went on a lovely dinner date this past weekend and was able to have a great piece of steak. Yes, in a smaller portion than normal. You will be able to eat anything you want sooner or later right. Forcing it though will only keep your bad eating habits at hand and that could sabatoge your life style change later on. The weight loss will stop or come to a stop and sooner than you think. Try to take advantage of the fantastic choice you have made to have your surgery. It is one you won't regret if you make the most of it. I wish you the best of luck.
P.S.
If you want to do it your way and want meat try a different kind. Maybe a softer summer sausage, some pepperoni, maybe some turkey Snacks, or even cornbeef, tis the season of the irish, is a bit easier than ground beef. This stage is only temporary believe me or not you will find out yourself in time.
P.P.S
Remember everyone is entilted to their opinion and that is simply what it is. Your opinion. We are free to all share how we feel on here, but remember this is the place many of us come for support. The good and the bad can be shared, but let's remember to be kind in our responses to each other. We all want the same thing here respectively.

First off, I just wanted to say that by looking at your signature, you and I are practically twins when it comes to stats. I'm 22 so we're similar in age, we're both 5'7" and both started at 273. Hello my dear twin!
While I'm not farther along, I do know what it's like to not know how to respond to compliments. Sure, we've all gotten the backhanded compliments such as, "you're not that fat" or "but you have such a pretty face." I didn't know how to react to those either, mainly because I found them rude even if the person meant well. Lately, I've been trying to impress one of my guy friends who always paid attention to my other friend more than me, since she was "the hot one" between the two of us. He actually paid more attention to me about a month post-op, even flirting with me, so that was all around weird. I've been overweight since I was 9, so I'm really socially awkward and don't know how to take compliments well.
I've noticed that I really only get compliments from my close friends or my parents. I usually brush them off, because even they say I look so different and better, I'm still obese. It makes me wonder just how bad I looked before. If I'm still fat, and they say I look so much better, how horrible was I pre-op? I don't consider myself a negative person generally, but when you're not used to compliments, it can make you start to feel weird.
I'm sure the people, besides maybe the lechers , who pay you kind words just mean well. I hope things go better for you at work so you don't have to stress so much about it. I don't think you sound stuck-up just because you're experiencing compliment overload.
Btw, grats on the weight loss thus far! Since we do have the same stats, I hope to be as far along as you when I get to 10 months post-op. Keep up the good work! Stay strong.

I hear ya girls!
Since hitting a 100 pounds lost and being the smallest I remember being in over 20 years (yea cant believe I am old enough to say that), suddenly everyone is telling me how well I am doing and are literally stopping me in my tracks asking whether I am loosing weight and how and keep up the good work.
We had a work party last Friday which was a big dress up event, so obviously I was dressed up, hair and make up done, and all night I got complimented, which I graciously accepted. However with a few people (and after a few drinks) they decide to also make comments about how I have tried to loose weight before (badly apparently) and hadnt cared about how I looked (not really true but it must have been what I was putting out). And then comes the lecture (as I am still overweight) about keeping going and not giving up. I really dont want to have a heart to heart with everyone who decides to say something about how much this is not just a surgery but a process that I have been going through to change my life, relationship with food and loving myself.
I know that I have alot of people williing me on and wanting the best for me and I dont mean to sound ungrateful for that, but I still have ALOT of work to do....imagine what they will be saying at the end of this journey.

I'm more overwhelmed with the fact that all these new people I meet think I've always been slim....it's quite funny.

I have several things that subdue the gushing. One is that my roux n Y wife draws most of the attention, her loss is more dramatic than mine. Another thing is that people remember me before I blimped so they just think the old Gman is back. Some of them didn't think I was very fat anyway. My resting pulse drop of 30 beats per minute testifies otherwise.

Simply Amazing!

I would recommend keeping the smaller clothes. You will be in them sooner than you think. Plus they are a great motivator to keep them around. Try them on seen how they fit, or dont fit, then put them away for a few months and you will be surprised on fast you get into them