gardendiva3

That's right - next year she will be scopin' out what you have on your plate! KB - you inspire me. I know the fat is temporary. (Yes, I've said that for 30 years) but this time...we will have the tools to succeed... primarily a much smaller tool box! Reb

OK - All of you have me smiling big time! Sue - for your incredible writing style and honest application of transferring thoughts to the page. I laughed out loud about the french fry because no matter how naughty that was - it was still perfect and taught you something that most of us might totally miss. You want a BITE - have ONE. Just don't have 54. I mean - honestly - last week I opened a bag of yellow oreos...don't ask me why - but after eating 4 - I heard 3 more calling my name. So I topped off those three with a glass of milk and 7 more so the columns would be even (of remaining cookies). But then I realized... Ok - enough you know exactly that the NEW truth is - bet you CAN eat just ONE! Lays new ad for the VSG person! KB - If you wanna shack up with Sue - you're going to have to fight me for her. OK? I mean she is funny and insightful - but so are you.. so maybe we just need a great big VSG commune somewhere in northern Idaho where the skinheads used to live - but the compound is empty now... Do you think we could convince others to join? No kool-aid here. And Melissa - bless you sweetie - you can have that piece of toast or a tortilla - as a pizza crust maybe ... Just use smaller torillas or use the ROUNDS and make a sort of mini pizza or nacho or taco or burrito...just on a cap instead of in a roll. How I love reading your comments - all of you! Blessings from Reb in IDAHO!!!

What I love about VST is reading people's blogs and finding out there is an entire community of people that relate to what we are feeling and can empathize with our situation. In the everyday world - people judge you for your size so we go through that endless cycle of joining WW, losing 20 pounds and then gaining 28 back after we get bored with the plan. Next we try Jenny or Nutri____ and to make up for the flavorless "mailorder food" we sneak real food to "fill up the corners". After that "failure" we decide to try slimslow or optislow or some other shake program...lose some weight but gain it back the first time we watch a Pizza Hut commercial. And...we're starving after a few hours .... The problem with this cyclical method of TRYING to lose weight is we feel like failures every time we don't achieve our goal. Are we really failures? No. Could we have tried harder? Maybe. The point is the one thread that is common is we keep typing to lose weight by changing the type of food we are eating and counting endless fat grams, calories, and fiber. Through VSG - you will succeed. The sleeve is going to take one important factor out of the equation...hunger followed by binging. Not gonna happenl! How do I know - because I've read about hundreds of women and men who DID succeed --on this website. I haven't read a single entry of "oh gee I wish I had not done this ..." You will succeed because the single fact that you can't eat too much or you'll be seeing it again.... will help you modify former behaviors. It will happen. You've changed the formula by electing to have surgery...and that was not an EASY decision. Have a great surgery!

Amen to all of the Above! If someone doesn't accept the decision we've made to gain back our LIFE - then heck with them. I'm 56 and wish this had been available 20 years ago. I've wasted a lot of my life hiding indoors, home at 5:05 pm and in my "favorite dress" my nightgown (you know the kind - Lane Bryant or Women Within - really big and comfy). Sit on the couch read a book, crochet, play computer games, watch tv or a DVD....notice all of these are single person activities. I told myself how "happy" I was - how much I enjoyed my quiet time. BULL!!! The fact is - I've felt too obese to go places, visit family, play with the grandkids on the grass, get on my knees, and be anywhere in a situation that someone might look at me and say "what a fat cow". After being married for 20 years and divorced for 17, I've allowed myself to think I am not worthy of a fella - and so I told myself I CHOOSE to remain single and not let anyone tell me what to do. The fact is - I long for a good friend to share VST with - to share the "I'm ok'you're ok" side of whatever skin you are wearing. I abhor the term obese...but I have to lose 30 pounds just to qualify. So let me reaffirm that in the 3 weeks or so that I have been attached to this site - I have met more wonderful, encouraging people than I have met my entire life up to this point. YOU are part of the reason I need to get on VST 4 or five times a day. To reassure myself that I am not alone in this endeavor. So if your friends dumped you - get some new ones... we're only a keystroke away. CHeers to all of you. I can hardly wait for sleevedom!! Reb (Gardendiva3)

Hey S - It's liquid...so keep a 7-up or sprite on hand to suck down a few sugars to keep those in check. I'm hypoglycemic and can pass out really fast by letting them get too low. Also add the protein WHEY from Walmart to milk and blend it - It's much cheaper than buying the Atkins or EAS shakes. (And they have chocolate peanut butter) There's a reason the DIET says 4- shakes a day. I still plan on having 2-liters of regular 7-up available for that ligh-headed headache I get when on all liquids. Good luck...Just think next Wednesday!!! Yahoo! I am excited for you! Reb

Hey KB - You and I and every other person that is on this website goes through the same thing. I was just telling Melissa about my "last suppers" and eating candy. Who knows why..I certainly have not been a candy hog in the past but for some reason it jumps in my cart and when I get up to checkout...welll there it is.

Melissa - I just sent an email to SeattleSue asking how she was doing and if she suffered from mental food anguish.. (MFA) ha ha OK - So I'm 41 days from sleeving and I still find myself buying a candy bar or a box of Mike & Ike...why? Don't know. Did you sort of enjoy many different "last suppers" where you thought I better get this in before I'm sleeved cause I won't be having it for some time!! I find myself thinking about PIZZA or Chinese food and should I go get some now and I better hurry. So far I haven't done that - but I think about it. I only have to do three days liquid pre-op but I have to make sure I can do that and still travel. So this weekend is my trial - (a previous weekend I made the attempt but had company and by 5:00 pm I was grazing in the kitchen). I have my Ninja to make smoothies now and I think the key for me will be making interesting shakes and getting all of my vitamins in. (I haven't been taking any). I get on VST several times a day (3 or 4) and I will keep reading your posts to see how you are doing. You can do it! Reb

Thanks very much for sharing. I appreciate knowing that chest pain is very likely the gas they blow you up with rising to your chest and shoulders. I remember it well from a previous laproscope. Good luck - and speedy recovery.

GOOD jOB...NO GREAT JOB!! I am sure your energy level will continue to increase and you will be a formidable example to your friends, family, and VST community. Reb

Yes - I absolutely know what you are talking about!! When I had my sleep study several years ago - they told me I was waking up more than 100 times per night - I couldn't believe it. So - I sleep with Pappy now...(my CPAP) and it only took about 2 nights to get used to the mask and hose. After that - can't sleep without it. And I love to crawl under the covers in my Bed Bath and Beyond "Beech" sheets which are sort of like T-shirt sheets except they feel like a million bucks. I first slept in them at my niece's house and OMg, I was amazed. So - now that I love getting a good nights sleep with Pappy...I just had to have those sheets too! I can also relate to the excitement of your upcoming surgery. I have 43 days to being sleeved. Sigh... I talk about it to my daughters, and I can barely focus at work because I am so HAPPY to never have to be on yo-yo diets again. My insurance doesn't cover so I decided to self pay in Mexico ($4500) and most people are saying their out-of-pocket was at least that much. Plus I don't have to go through all of those tests ahead of time. I'm glad and I've met such great people on this website. People that understand completely what it's like to suffer the "looks" and comments related to obesity. Bless you and good luck. Full steam ahead! Reb

Just think...in 6 months you will look back on your pre-op diet days and think "i'm so glad I did." It's a good idea to get that liver shrunk a bit because I guess the weight loss helps it "stay out of the way" during surgery. Your lil one is so cute. I am loving the grandbabies climbing on Nana and giving hugs and kisses. I didn't "enjoy" my children as much as I should have because I was so busy working, cleaning, cooking, and the rest. But I'm making up for lost time...with the grandbabies (4, 4, and 3) I'm so happy. Soon it will be much easier to chase after them and pull them in the wagon or play with them in the park. Life is good. Enjoy your pre-op diet. If you don't have a high-speed blender - find one andmix up your own vegetable chicken soup from www.allrecipes.com and enjoy pureed soup... (Hopefully you can have that). Reb