LindaS

I'm also going to stick up for the boyfriend. The comments encouraging better eating and suggesting exercise could be his way of supporting you in your efforts to lose weight. Now, this would only be true if you told him you were on a diet or doing something to lose weight before he made the comments. As for him getting mad, his reaction could have more to do with his self esteem than yours. Maybe he is worried that now that you've lost weight, you aren't interested in him and will possibly leave him. My point is that while your interpretation is real to you, it might be very unreal to him. The only way you will know is if the two of you talk through your feelings and thoughts. You need to tell him how you feel, and you need to listen to how he feels. I have never been a woman who gets upset when someone tells me the truth to the question "Do these pants make my butt look big?" If I ask, I want to know. Honest communication works wonders. I like that my husband calls me on my bull and helps me stay on track. We exercise together, and he asks about my workouts.

1)Given that, what do you think makes this surgery so uniformly successful? Is the "sleeve tool" that powerful? Like, before surgery did you feel like you were clearing brush with a teaspoon and now you have a backhoe? Before my sleeve, I could work months and months doing everything right -- my eating and exercise. I would end up losing 10 pounds, which could all be undone in 1 weekend of bad choices. Since my sleeve, I lost the initial 50 pounds pretty easily. I've fought for everything over that, but I am still losing. Even if I don't make the best choices, I can't make a 10-pound mistake in a week let alone a weekend. But the great thing is that the sleeve makes it easy for me to make good choices. I don't have room in my belly for bad ones. The key is to eat the Protein first. Another thing that I noticed is that I was on liquids for about 2 months and it was still another month or so before I was eating *normal* food. This allowed my taste buds to reset themselves. I've never liked real sugary Snacks, but after the sleeve things that are even mildly sugary seem too sugary to me. I think it the extended change in diet really let me reset my taste buds, so I really stay away from sugary stuff. 2) When I've been on "traditional" diets in the past, I know the moment I fall off the wagon: it's the moment when I no longer see a relationship between effort and reward. Do you feel you are better able to handle the "stalls" when they come? Do you see a faster relationship between eating right/exercising and weight loss? Do you feel more confident in that relationship? More patient? What? The sleeve has definitely helped me overcome falling off the wagon. I have had a pretty long stall. I've lost about 10 pounds since February (6 months), but I'm not discouraged or worried. Part of it is because this is the first time that I've measured myself by more than just my weight. I took pictures and measurements, and I am seeing progress. I have more definition in my arms and legs than I did 3 months ago. I can feel the muscles getting harder in my legs and arms. The scale hasn't changed, but stuff is still happening. I was amazed at how quickly lifting 3 or 5 pound weights led to definition in my arms. I definitely feel more confident in the relationship between effort and results. I know the results are happening, and it isn't always just the numbers on the scale. 3) When you reach goal, what keeps you living right? I'm not at goal yet, but my concerns about my health keep me on the straight and narrow. I can't eat very much, and I know if I don't eat the protein my body needs, I put my health in jeopardy. Vitamin deficiencies can be pretty serious and irreversible. I can't risk that. 4) Here's a really wacky question. WHY does the sleeve increase your desire to eat right and exercise? I don't have hunger any more, and I don't want things with real strong flavors (sugars). This makes it pretty easy to eat right. Before surgery, I loved potatoes and breads. I ate those more than anything else, and I couldn't imagine giving them up. Now, I rarely eat more than a bite or two of potatoes and hardly ever eat breads. I don't like the way they make me feel when I eat them. This makes me less likely to want them. As for exercise, I lost a lot of inches in my arms right away. It was very quickly after my surgery that I realized I had bat wings, and I did not want bat wings. I started lifting weights, and in less than 3 weeks I had muscles. The results were amazing. It made me want to exercise more. I'm not sure it has to do with my sleeve other than I am now small enough that I can exercise easier, and I am seeing the results.

I do drink when eating, and it doesn't flush my food or mess with my fullness level. I think SleeveofSteel drinks while eating too.

Taking pictures every 2 to 4 weeks really helps with this. I did front, side and back pictures in my bra and underwear (tried to use same ones as long as possible), so I could get a really good comparison. It has been several months now since I've done that, but I plan to do it this week since my one year anniversary is tomorrow.

I've tried several flavors of the Protein chips, and the texture is weird but crunchy, which is what I was craving. I liked them early on, but I am not getting them any more. I did not like the cheddar flavored stuff. For salty Snacks, I've been relying on Jerky and nuts.

I haven't broken down in the grocery store, but I have had some challenges. Big hugs to you. This weekend, I was hosting my daughter's baby shower. I had to go shopping for the party, and at first, I had a hard time finding something to buy because I was trying to buy Protein first. I knew I had to have more than just ham and cheese. I finally realized I needed to buy things I normally wouldn't: dips, chips, raw veggies (celery!) and cupcakes and crackers. On the day of the actual party, I didn't eat what I shouldn't eat, but I was encouraging everyone to eat it all up, so I didn't have leftovers. I sent the crackers home with a guest.

From another August 2011 sleever -- take measurements! You will be AMAZED at the inches you will lose!

Someone else had a great idea that I will share with you -- they slice up a cucumber and use that to replace crackers. It lets you eat the spreads with a healthier low carb choice. I prefer salty to sugary Snacks, and using Lays would be a gateway for me. I am trying to avoid chips, and it is a struggle for me. I don't recommend using them.

The doctor is aware of her going to the nutritionist and still wants her to see the dietitian. I think it is a case where her doctor doesn't really want her to have the weight-loss surgery. The referral for WLS actually came from her cardiologist. I'm just concerned that her doctor will fail to do something that she needs done to get approved for surgery.

I love the montages! You look fantastic, and you are so stylish!

My mother-in-law is in the process of getting sleeved. She should be scheduled for surgery in late September/early October. As part of the requirements, she has to have 6 months of consults with her regular doctor. At her last appointment, the regular doctor told my mil that she wanted my mil to see a dietitian for a consult. Personally, I think this is a waste of money and time. The dietitian she will be meeting with is not associated with a WLS practice. My mil already has appointments to meet with a nutritionist through her surgeon's office to deal strictly with the pre and post surgery diets. My MIL is going through with the dietitian consult. I hope the dietitian ends up being knowledgeable about WLS diets. It just seems like my mil's regular doctor isn't up-to-date on what is going on, and she should be. I also know that the insurance-documentation of the monthly consults that were filled out by her doctor had to be redone because the doctor didn't fill them out correctly.

OK that doctor is dumb. What does he think the surgery is? Santa Claus?

Great job!

You look fab! What a journey!

Most people have commented on how I seem happier since my WLS. I tend to smile more, and I am engaged in life more. I am more willing to do things and say things. I feel more confident, and I no longer have that voice in my ear commenting on my large body, which is a big reason why I'm happier.

I think someone in this forum asked the doctor to take pictures of it, and they shared it with us. (It might have been a blog though.). You could see if your surgeon would be willing to take a picture to share with you. It was interesting to see that one. If you can't keep it, you can at least see a picture of it. Linda

There are some tasty chocolate-flavored Protein bars out there! I am right there with you, Globetrotter. I haven't lost very much since February (less than 10 pounds) and most of that came off during two weeks time. I can eat wonderfully and exercise daily burning hundreds of calories and not lose a single pound. I can eat some carbs and drink some alcohol and not gain anything. And then for no reason, when my eating and exercise is great, I gain weight. And then I lose it even though there is no reason. And I can't figure out why. It doesn't make sense. The 3500 calores = 1 pound is not accurate for me. And when I don't get rewarded or punished, I tend to make bad choices (popcorn!). I suspect some of it might be due to monthly cycle stuff although I no longer technically have a monthly cycle. I had an endometrial ablation, so I don't get a period, but I think I still get the hormone influx, but I can no longer track it to that. I think part of it is that I am down to the harder to burn stuff. And it is in my problem areas (upper thighs/butt/belly), which are harder places to tone/exercise. I definitely have some psychological stuff. I tend to eat popcorn when I'm alone and working. I like salty/crunchy Snacks better than I like chocolate/sweet snacks. I tried protein chips instead of regular chips, but I don't like the flavor. At first, they were a good substitute for the crunch craving, but they taste so bad, I'd rather have 100 calories of actual chips than something that tastes bad but is better for me. I could get the crunch from raw veggies, which is actually my preference except I have braces, which makes eating raw veggies hard to do. I log my food daily, and I think that is a big part of me keeping on track usually. I am even thinking of doing a day or two of photographing what I eat just to see if it will help me make better choices. I have a blog, and if I had to photograph it would I be willing to eat it? Personally, I think the biggest down fall for me is the calories in drinks. I don't know a lot of calories in drinks, and they tend to surprise me more than anything. Summer drinks tend to be higher in calorie (like lemonade). I had a Gatorade the other day and didn't realize until after I had drank it that it had 39 grams of carbs in it.

The site isn't working for me now, but I think it is mybodygallery.com

I can't find it through a search, but I know last summer someone on this forum posted a link to a website. The site was pictures of people who were the same height and weight, but their body sizes were very different. It really was interesting to see the differences. I must not have bookmarked it. Does anyone remember it? At my highest weight, I weighed 255 and wore a size 20 (although did buy some 22s depending on cut). I am now size 12 and weigh 183. I also have thunder thighs, and I truly think I'd be able to wear smaller sizes if my thighs were smaller. I am much smaller on top.

Try letting your surgeon now about the work parameters. When I was scheduling my surgery, I let them know that I could do it between two certain dates, and if they couldn't work it out by then, I'd have to wait 4 months. This made them motivated, and they were able to "pencil" me into their schedule. Once I finished everything, it was confirmed and the "pencil" became "pen," I guess.

I am 9 days away from a year out, and I have no regrets. I did think I'd be at goal by now. I still have another 30 pounds. To be honest, I think I could have been at goal by now if I'd continued to deny myself some food types. I don't eat a lot of them, but it slows my weight loss (popcorn/alcohol, for example). Part of why I didn't deny myself is because I didn't get this surgery to deny myself. I wanted a tool not a lock. I still plan on getting to goal. It just didn't happen the first year. But what I have lost and how much better I feel? Priceless.

I'm so glad they are out of business! I think that is an even better revenge.

I like cheese Snacks. For crunchy stuff, I tried the Protein chips that you can get online. Each package has about 10 grams of protein. The taste isn't great, but it takes care of the crunch craving. I also like nuts although not a lot of them. Almonds are good.

Visit an online store that specializes in WLS. I like www.bariatricchoice.com. You can get a variety of products that are high in protein. I really like the fruit drinks.

If your online life is starting to interfere or preclude your face-to-face life, there is a problem. (I'm one of those difficult women who can't do what some man tells me to do.) If the conversations you are having are ones you wouldn't mind your wife reading, I don't think there is a problem. If you try to hide it from your wife, there is a problem. If you would rather go online than talk to your wife, there is a problem. I think early on, I was a bit obsessive about this site. I came here more than I went to facebook. But even then, I did it at times when my husband wasn't around. I am very aware of my use of electronics in front of my husband (and so is he). He gets jealous of my iphone and my kindle and my laptop. I try to have times where I don't use them at all. But even when we go out to eat, I need to get on my iPhone to log my food at MFP.