Lissa

I just watched it. Go girl!!!

It's true. Our heads really do influence our perceptions of even positive things! I did some paperwork for a stripper recently and we started talking about her job. I've posted before that I actually went to a strip club with friends and that I would love to look like those girls do when I get to goal. Anyway, the stripper told me that I should come audition at her club and I was shocked. I'm nowhere near my goal weight and I'd never take my clothes off in public. Her advice to me was that I should really do the audition because they have clientele that wants to see girls who are bigger... she even gave me some advice on dealing with areas that I think are flaws, like my abdomen! Afterwards, I was stunned that I had to keep reminding myself that the conversation was intended by her to be flattering to me, because my brain kept concentrating on the negatives rather than the positive that this professional stripper was giving me. Unless I get really desperate or my business tanks, I don't think anyone will see me headlining at the local strip club, but it is nice to know I have career options!

Here's my Gold Star for Today!! I remember reading about the exercise levels you and some others have managed to achieve and thinking there was NO way I would ever get there. Now I'm getting there and it's all because of the encouragment I get here on VST!!! Thanks, PDXMan!!

Patrick, I couldn't walk from my front door to my car when I started this journey, literally! You keep working on it and you'll get to where you want to be!! Yeah, it does feel great! I let MFP figure the calories for me. My gym's ellipticals don't have a calorie count on them. I'm only up to a 5 on the resistance and I'm at around 3.5 mph, but I'm working it! It sounds like you're working it, too!! I worry more about what my heart rate is than my speed or resistance, though. I'm in pretty good cardio health, so I'm aiming for 150 heart rate when I do cardio. If I go any higher, I'm ready to pass out. It's now taking me longer and more resistance to get to that heart rate!

So, I did 35 minutes on the elliptical this morning!! A month ago I couldn't do 3 minutes without feeling like I was going to die! Go Me!!! I've been working my way up to this, 5 minutes to start, then adding 30 seconds a day. Today I decided to push it and I was amazed by the results!!

Great for you!! Keep rocking that sleeve! 34 pounds is fantastic!

Hubby gets kudos for giving you great positive reinforcement!! You get kudos for rocking that sleeve!

Rhi, Do you use a calendar application? If so, make a standing appointment with yourself for the gym and put it on your phone. Make it unbreakable. I literally started out with tiny little baby steps. 10 minutes on the bike or treadmill, 10 reps with 2 pound weights for arm exercises...that took 10 minutes. As my stamina grew, I added a little more time or a few more reps. I've taken monthly pictures of myself, sometimes more, just so that I can see my journey as I look back through those pictures. Sometimes I can see the changes, sometimes I can't. But, I can feel the changes in me. I have more stamina, TONS more stamina. I can bend and flex in ways that I could not imagine doing before surgery. I feel so much better and I've finally gotten to where I get the endorphin high regularly. I credit all of that to exercise. My sleeve gave me the push and motivation I needed, but now it is a self-fulfilling circle. I work out more, so I feel better and lose weight. As I feel better and lose weight, I want to work out more. I wish I could be there to say "Get up! Hit the Gym!!" But, maybe putting the appointment on your calendar will motivate you to Just Do It. I know I'm stealing Nike's line, but it's the best way I've ever seen it said. This is for you...and you're definitely worth it!

I'm not sure what you mean by stomach pain. My thigh muscles were sore because I kept trying to use them instead of my tummy muscles when I walked and/or stood up. My sleeved stomach didn't give me pain, maybe a little achiness. However, I had two previous c-sections, so the sleeve was nothing compared to those. If you're hurting, USE YOUR PAIN MEDS! Sip slowly, walk a lot and those two things will help you more than anything else.

Alice, Stay strong on this one. Do NOT push your sleeve to handle more than your doctor allows right now. You do not want a leak. Work on getting in your fluids. They are more important than Protein this early post-op, but my doctor had me counting my shakes/soups as part of my liquid intake until I was back on mushy foods. If you must chew, chew on ice or a SF popsicle (if it's allowed by your doc). You obviously know that it's head hunger since you're full. Just hang on. This stage will be over soon and you'll look back with pride that you made it through. Good luck! I know you can do it!!

Good luck, Amy!!

FavoredOne, You motivate others here on VST every day by sharing the ups and downs of your journey! Keep rocking that sleeve!

Yay!! Welcome to the loser's bench!! It's official!

I love my Planet Fitness!!

It's as simple and as hard as Just Do It. get up and go that first time, then the second time. It will soon become such a normal part of your routine that you won't question it. It will just BE something you do daily. I feel badly if I miss a workout now. That was so not me before surgery!

Low weights, high reps. Seriously, I started with 2 pound weights and 10 reps apiece. That's all I could do. Now I do weights at the gym 3 days a week... and I'm seeing toning and definition.

Rhi, I definitely think that exercise has been a key for me... and even that hasn't been a magic bullet. But, knowing that I'm doing everything possible to give myself the optimal chance for success has been a key for me, at least in my head!

I live alone, too. I have tons to occupy my time if I'm bored. I sew, read, hit the gym, enjoy the community hot tub and pool, take a walk, play with my puppy, etc. Ask your doctor for a prescription for an acid reducer. Especially early post-op, an acid reducer can eliminate the hungry feeling, which is really just excess acid produced by the stomach. You might even consider talking to a therapist a few times to get past your food issues. We all have them and we all have to deal with them. Good luck!

If someone had told me 10 months ago (pre-op) that *I* would be a gym rat, I'd have laughed my butt off at them! But, I am, and like GivingItMyAll, I'm addicted to that endorphin high! I find myself having conversations with people about the best way to do an exercise. I'm sick, but I'm okay with that!

You're the person who taught me to just sit back and enjoy this journey! You go girl!!

walmart does carry the sugar free syrups. Usually found in the coffee aisle. they also carry the SF pudding mixes over near the baking supplies. Amazon has all of the above if you truly can't find a local store with them.

I have copies of every mammo I've ever had because of a mass in my left breast. It hasn't changed and is probably related to breastfeeding many years ago. (I had mastitis twice.) Don't let the doctor's ill-advised phrasing scare you. Just go have the mammo and cross that worry off your list when it comes back normal.

Even pre-sleeve, I found that bread actually made me hungrier. Now, it just overfills me and makes it hard for me to drink Water after a meal, even waiting 30 minutes. I'd add a piece of sausage instead of the bread... it's tastier, too. The last time I circuit trained was at Curves, and it sucked, IMO. However, you have to do what you have available to you. Have you tried leaving the weight the same and increasing the amount of reps in a minute? I don't know if that's even possible, just thinking out loud. Good luck! You're going to do great with your sleeve!

I'm in Vero Beach, which is closer to the middle of FL, but I may be able to help you figure out what stores carry what you're looking for. If you tell me what you're having a tough time finding, I'll be happy to help. You can PM me or do it here in this thread.

CJ, I wasn't going to post to this one because everyone else has answered your question very thoroughly. However, I'm 5'8 and my bougie is a 36 (I think). I have the same surgeon as LML above and he didn't even mention bougie until I asked about it. I've lost, so far, over 100 pounds in 9 months and a week. I have no doubt that I will get to goal. I still have great restriction on the amount of food I can eat, even though I suspect I have a longer stomach than many women. I can eat ONE taco, if I remove most of the lettuce. I assume that I'm completely healed from my surgery with no swelling left, so this should be my capacity from here on out. I don't think the bougie size will make a difference to your long-term weight loss. Exercise and eating right will make a bigger difference. Even more important is your Water intake, IMO. My unofficial observation is that those who stick primarily to water for their drinks seem to lose faster and larger amounts of weight. good luck!!