renee5d

Hi everyone! I just wanted to stop by and share this crazy NSV. I was with my mom and husband, we were at a dealership looking around. The sales man approached and asked if he could assist. I was looking at a truck and my mom an husband were looking at a sedan. Well my mom joined me and my husband was talking with the salesman.( Anyway to shorten this story) the salesman thought my mom and husband were married and I was their daughter. When my husband revealed that I was in fact his wife the salesman responded, "lucky you" I was laughing so hard it was awesome!! My mom was shaking her head. I'm 46 my husband is 55 and my mom is 76. All I have to say is priceless.

OMG!!! I have been dancing around 200 for awhile but wasn't going under. So I just stopped weighing myself and this morning I thought I'd give it a try and WOO WOO!! 197!! I cheered so loud I woke up my husband!! lol. Still a ways to go but woo woo!!! Onederland baby!!

hi 100%sleeved! You and I have almost the same stats! I was sleeved 11/14/11 and started at 255. I am now 202. I love zumba and I've started running. My goal weight is 155, but I would take less! hehehehe!

I'm down 50 lbs and will be trying Zumba soon. I've only been walking.

Hey Guys...
So, Sleevina turned 3 months old today and I'll be 27 for the 10th time on Thursday!!!!! She's a very interesting girl and finicky girl sometimes!!! LOL... but I love her and appreciate how she has helped me change my life... So here's my update... I'm still very emotional and easy irritated most of the time... I hope, well, my friends and family are hoping this is coming to an end!!
What I have lost:
Lost 35+ pounds
3 sizes (from a 30 to mostly 24s, some 22s)
1 shoes size (bought some cute sandals in a 10, was wearing an 11W)
back pain after standing more than 15 minutes
a significant limp in my left leg due to a back injury
fear of running down my condo stairs
fear of booths, the tall exam tables at my dr's office
the need to finish my entire plate of food
a supposedly good friend who has shown her TRUE colors!!!
my live to eat motto

What I have gained:
my LIFE back!! Including being able to wear cute heels again, dance all night and fit comfortably in small(er) spaces!
confidence to try new things and be open to change
physical strength and endurance
a healthy emotional well-being, not plagued by fear of failure (still work on this!!)
a willingness to let go of people who can't/won't Celebrate me and all that I am and am becoming
a daily goal to live each day to the fullest
a greater love and respect for my body... it truly is my temple!!
a new family (you guys, my SLEEVE fam) who can truly understand the journey I'm on...

Finally, I've learned that this new life is truly a journey... in order to be successful, I have to take the ups and downs... learning from each.. but not being paralyzed or deterred by celebrating too much or grieving too long!! It's about balance for me... I appreciate each of you who have encouraged, challenged and been of part of my journey so far... It only gets better!!!
Love and Hugs
Tina

Yay! I sent my before/after pictures to Nina, and she asked if they could feature them on Dr. Aceves' website. Pretty flattered - definitely an NSV!

There are many different reasons to keep it personal!
I chose to keep mine private, only telling my husband and best friend because my brothers 34 year old daughter died of malnutrition, three years after her gastric bypass. My mom, the queen of worry, blames the surgery, not my niece's nutritional habits. Because of this, I have chosen to keep it hidden. I didn't even tell my kids because I don't want them to be put in a position where they would have to lie to their grandma.
Trust me...this was a very difficult decision for me...normally I an a blabber mouth...always wanting to share my story. But I attend support group once a month in a city about two hours away and there, I am free to be open about it.

i too did not tell anyone but my wife. I was self pay in MX so I didn't even tell my doctor. I was tired of being fat and felt as though I would not make it another 6 months to a year waiting for insurance to clear me so I paid myself.
To be honest I feel as if I seem to be of little value to anyone unless they want something or insist on having an opinion of something I am doing or something about me. All my friends and family have little to do with me until then, and then they typically unload with both barrels. I hate it so I elected to keep it a secret till after it was done. I didn't even tell my closest co-worker or employer.
Most "let me have it" afterwards when I fessed up. But hey, IT'S NOT ABOUT THEM. It was MY decision and MY life I was destroying by being obese. I am now thinner, healthier and more muscular than anyone who "voiced their concern". It worked for me- no thanks to their (non) support.

*editor’s note: this is a cross-post*
When I first started my journey, this was my very first blog post. It will help to reference it if you haven’t read it yet. (Phine = Fine/Fione = hella good-looking/sexy. Incase ya didn't know )
In any event…
Two years ago [on my birthday], I looked like…



This year [and over 100# later] as I Celebrate my 37th year of life, I look like:



Amazing, isn’t it?
I always come up with kitchy lil’ names for my yearly b’earthday celebrations…and this year, I jokingly called it my “Thirty-Sexy” birthday. As most of you who follow my posts know – I haven’t felt very sexy about this New Body. And until fairly recently, I was having a very hard time accepting this new form.
Welp. no more! Not sure if it was the birthday (in general) or just me beginning to see myself in a new light as I train for this 5k race in April that is responsible. But I am totally feeling it, seeing it and reveling in it. FINALLY!



I feel the same sexy I felt when I was 21. The same sexy I felt at 30. The same sexy that I somehow LOST along the way over the past year and a half – along with all of the extra weight. So this, has been a long time coming.
From this day forward, I will claim it.
I will own it.
I will revel in it.
I will project it.
I will embrace it.
I will live it.
Sexiness…reclaimed.
“Phine”… re-defined. Finally.

I created a new Sub-forum. If you search for the group "Success Habits" you will find it. I posted the first topic on the first Habit, PERSONAL ACCOUNTABILITY.
Hope it helps.

I am approaching my one year anniversary on February 12th. I have had a good first year, have lost all but 10 pounds of my excess weight, and have made many behavior changes. But I have always been worried (scared!) about being successful in maintenance, since that has been my lifelong pattern. I have lost close to 100 pounds 4 times previously, and haven’t successfully kept it of for more than a year or two after achieving goal.

I did something positive to help me get into maintenance. It is another “tool” to help me be a healthy smaller person – just like the sleeve itself is a tool. (That’s my NSV – I did something positive for my maintenance). I enrolled in a class taught by the nurse that runs the WLS support group at the Baylor Carrolton (Texas) hospital. Baylor is a big medical system in the Dallas area, with hospitals in several suburbs of Dallas and the main facility in downtown Dallas. My surgeon, Dr. Nicholson was the head of the WLS program at Baylor Plano. I chose to attend the support group through the Carrolton office, since it was closest to my office.

The class is “The Success Habits of Weight Loss Surgery Patients”. The class is several sessions, with each session focusing on one of the Success Habits. The material in the class is based on material by Colleen M. Cook and developed by the Bariatric Support Centers International. The material includes a book, workbook, website membership and additional information given in the individual sessions.

The Success Habits Principles are now taught in hundreds of bariatric support groups each month and are recommended by many Bariatric Centers of Excellence (per the material – I haven’t verified this independently). It is great material for those in the losing phase and those that are going into maintenance.

The premise behind the material and the class is a survey of patients who had WLS surgery, and what behaviors are in common for those that are successful versus those that are not successful. The average time from surgery for the patients was 7 years. The average amount of weight lost was 103 pounds

The habits are follows:

PERSONAL ACCOUNTABILITY: I recognize that I alone am responsible for my success and failures
PORTION CONTROL: I understand the importance of satiety and understanding my body’s signals
NUTRITION: I make good healthy food choices each day.
FLUID INTAKE: I drink the right amount of the right kinds of Fluid at the right times each day.
EXERCISE: I have adopted the habit of exercise as a regular part of my lifestyle
VITAMINS AND SUPPLEMENTS: I take good quality Vitamins each day to support my good health.

Sounds simple, right? Well, I have taken classes on the first two classes and I HAVE LEARNED SO MUCH – particularly about accountability.

I am not scared like I was about maintenance – these classes are really setting things out for me in a clear way that I think I can successfully do going forward. And, if I hit a bump in the road in the future – I think I will be able to recover – rather than spiraling out of control.

If there is interest, I will set up a sub-forum for the “Success Habits” and have threads for each habit, or each key learning I have from the classes. I am so pumped up about these classes; I am considering taking the classes to become a Support Coach for WLS patients.

Let me know if you are interested in hearing more about this on this sight.

Sharon

Time for a Come to Jesus post from PdxMan ... sorry if I offend ... don't mean to.
... most of us, I believe, have or had a NUT to consult with. From my discussions with them regarding the whole Protein question and the research I have been doing regarding nutrition and running, there is a limit to the amount your body can effectively absorb and use at one time. There is a general rule out there which suggests consuming more than 30g of Protein in a single sitting does you no good and the overage should not be counted, but for more active people and athletes that number is higher. I discuss my activity level with my NUT and integrate her dietary suggestions. Afterall, I paid for it and she went to college for it, so ...
I see here and on other threads about people taking the Protein Shots and getting all their protein in before morning and using ShakeX because it has 48g of protein ... From what I understand, this is not how it works. Drink two 48g protein shots AND I'M DONE FOR THE DAY!!
Nope.
Your body will absorb what it can and store the rest as fat and for the day you will be WAY short on the protein your body needs.
So, don't even ask what my NUT told me to do because my body and activity level is not your body and activity level.
Don't ask me what you should do because I don't know your body and activity level.
What works for me will not work for you.
Bottom line here is if you don't know what to do or you are struggling with protein, you really need to be discussing this with your NUT. They know your body and your activity level FAR better than we do here on the forum. Protein intake is very important. Do yourself a favor and use the resources your team has provided you. If you don't have a NUT, talk to your surgeon, if you can't talk to them, contact your PCP. Surely someone in their office has access to a nutritionist.
To echo what I have said before, I know I can come across harsh, but I want us all to succeed in this.

I just had my VSG surgery on Dec. 20, 2011. I am just now starting the pureed foods. I was having a craving for dessert, so I decided to mash up a banana and dip it in chocolate pudding to which I added 15g of Protein Powder. It is just like having a chocolate dipped banana!!! Try it out!

I have no idea if there are any studies about low carb after WLS. I just wanted to say that your nut probably isn't too worried about high carb foods because she knows that most WLS patients can't eat much anyway.
For me, bread and rice still make me uncomfortably full, so I don't eat them much at all. Mashed potatoes, otoh, go down very easily, but they fill me up fast as well.
By the time I eat my Protein for the day and add in some veggies, I'm usually too full to put in much in the way of carbs anyway. Add in the fact that simple sugars are too sweet and make me have diarrhea (not dumping, but def changes that function, sorry TMI), and I don't eat much sweet anyway. So, those high carb, low nutrition foods are out most of the time as well.
There are several on here who advocate eating carbs before working out, and their reasons sound very valid to me. You will figure out what works for you and it will be right!
Good luck!!

I think too many of us focus on the fast losers when we're planning for surgery and then we assume that once we're sleeved the weight is going to just fly off.
Not everyone is so lucky.
My starting weight is close to your preop weight but you must be taller than my 5'1" and some change because my BMI was much higher at your current weight.
I was a slow loser. Slower, I guess. There are a handful of people here that are even slower than I was. It took me 17 months to hit goal, to lose 107 pounds.
You cannot compare yourself to everyone else. If you're doing the right things and still losing, the sleeve is working. You can try to adjust your food or exercise for a better result but I caution you against doing anything drastic that you won't be able to maintain. Part of why the sleeve is great is that it does away with the need for that diet mentality and helps you build positive habits you can maintain forever. Some folks cut the carbs down to 20 a day, something I consider extreme, but if they can live their lives that way and get great results then it works for them.
My biggest piece of advice isn't one you'll like, but it's something you're going to have to get used to at some point or another. RELAX.
That's it. Because this isn't a race. I promise you, 85% of your stomach just got removed from your body so you're going to lose weight. I see this over and over and over again on the boards - people just so frustrated and worked up because they expected to lose the weight faster, or people that get mad because they feel they didn't need the surgery if they were going to be slow losers.
It took me 17 months to reach goal. It took me 17 YEARS to go from where I am now to my high weight. Am I any less pleased with my success because it took me longer to get here? Nope. I'm happy as can be.
Track your food. Eat responsibly. Get your Protein in, drink your Water, start moving more. In six months you're going to be posting that you're nearly to goal. Give your body a chance to recover from the fact that it's lost 27 pounds and undergone a major surgery the last two months. And yes, even if you want to break the scale sometimes, and even if you don't lose for two weeks of the month (like me) you're going to lose this weight.
So, RELAX.
~Cheri

Zumba is awesome. I did it before surgery. Is a lot of movement too. I am having a hard time sipping slowly with my liquids lol

I want to begin the vsg process and I need some advice from people who got it done around pittsburgh pa. Where did you go? To what doctor? What insurance do you have and did it cover the cost? And any other support you could offer me. Im 20 years old and weigh 240. I need to get rid of this weight asap! Help! Thanks

Renee, How close are you to TOM? Lots of ladies notice a couple of pound increase just before because we are retaining Water, then most see a loss immediately afterwards.
That three week stall is a booger, isn't it!? I was so worried about mine, but just kept doing the Water, doing the Protein, and then I had a big drop, 4 or 5 pounds, IIRC.
I hit another one at the end of my 2nd month/beginning of the 3rd month, so I upped my walking and gained a pound. My regular doc told me that I wouldn't lose until I backed off the walking for a few days. I rolled my eyes when he told me that muscle weighs more than fat, but he's right. And, during that second stall, I lost inches in a hurry! That's when I dropped the second pants size, so always check your measurements when you stall on the scale.
Also, always look for those NSV's (non scale victories). I've had tons of them lately and I make sure to keep my eyes open for them. Something as simple as being able to slide into a booth in a restaurant will thrill me, although I might not say anything to my dining companions. I was thrilled to be able to buy a belt...and then it was too big the first time I wore it! I had to adjust my car seat because I not longer need to sit way to one side so that the seat belt latch doesn't dig into my tush. Those are all somewhat silly, but they are the things that make me go YEAH!
Good luck to you all!

The results were far far beyond what my comprehension was pre sleeve. It is really honestly for sure without a doubt hands down the best thing in the world I have ever done for me and myself. And no, I'm not just saying that. I really mean it. Every word.

Ty you all for the advice and ty Lynda too. I hope all goes well. I leave tommorrow evening to stay in hotel so we wont have to get up at like 2 am to drive. Have all my stuff ready to go when i get home and will remeber not to try to be perfect with routine the first few days lol,. Surgery date set at noon! Anyone else date is same or right after good luck to you !!