Lissa

Oh, go for it!! I think it's wonderful that you are standing up for yourself and you can do the job! It sounds like they are seriously looking at you for it, too!!

Because of Egg Face, I bought an ice cream maker at the thrift store a few days ago. Going to try it out tomorrow because I have to freeze the disk first. I also have a stock of the SF Torani syrups and a lot of cheese because of Michele. I was given a bento box that I don't use nearly enough, and I have discovered ricotta bake. YUMMY!!!

I haven't been able to tolerate really spicy food yet. Pre-op I loved jalapenos on my nachos. Post op, the jalapenos bite me big time. I'm hoping that I'll be able to add some spicier food back in as I get further out. I also became lactose intolerant post-op, but that seems to be resolving itself now. I drank some milk a couple of days ago and had no ill effects.

Pookey, I think this is one of the most heartfelt posts I've ever read, anywhere. I know you're sad about your mother, but I think you're doing exactly what she would want. You are standing strong in the belief that your decision to have WLS was right for you and you are taking care of you! ((Hugs)) I know it's tough when you're used to being strong to admit that you meed a little support. I think that's bravery! Good luck, and I know you're going to continue to win this battle. Your mother is in heaven watching you and smiling because she is so proud of you and the woman you are!

I started out barely able to do 3 days a week. Now I'm up to 7 days a week and feeling marvelous darling! IMO, it's better to start slow and build up to it. Jumping in both feet first is a sure way to hit burnout in a hurry. I'm working on the mindset that this is a lifestyle change, not a diet or exercise "program". So, what I'm doing is working things into my daily routine and trying to make them permanent. Start slow and build up to something that you know you can maintain long-term.

I work out every day. Most days I do half an hour of cardio on the bike, but every day I do my weights. Low weight, high reps. I keep my weights on top of my entertainment center, so every time I stop in front of the tv, I life some weights.

If you know what you're looking for, you can still find all of my scars. The only one that is noticable is the one on my left side where the drain was, and it's less than 1/4 inch across and a light pink. I'm 7 months post-op and even I have a tough time finding the rest of the scars.

I, too, started out researching the band. There is a forum for Lap Banders just like VST and I spent a ton of time over there, reading and researching. One of the major things that stood out for me was the rate of complications with the band. Once I went to my surgeon's seminar, I was sold on the sleeve. Then I started researching the sleeve and it was so dramatic that the sleeve did NOT have the complication rates I saw for the lap band.

Congrats! You're on your way!

I was just reading the thread about "How Do You Get Your Protein" and it made me wonder about this. What foods do you eat now that you seldom or never ate before surgery? For me, it's Protein drinks and Protein Bars. Pre-surgery, I'd have never considered eating/drinking either. I also have found myself eating a lot more seafood (shrimp and fish) and steak/beef than ever before. In the other thread, I noticed that others seem to eat things that I wouldn't have considered before like cans of tuna and greek yogurt. So, what new food habits have YOU picked up since surgery?

Congrats on the NSVs!! Love the one about the shower!!

Congrats! Welcome to the loser's bench to all of you! The first step in your journey to a new life has been completed! YAY!!

Congratulations on taking that first step! It's scary, but liberating to finally admit we need help! Good luck with your journey!!

Glad to see that you're all losing and doing well! Isn't it great to watch the scale go down, down, down?! PatKaye, The liquid stage is the toughest. You WILL be able to get all of your Protein in sooner than you think. Right now your sleeve is swollen and won't let you do much dense food, but the restriction will ease up as you heal. Liquids do go down so much easier than solids will. Just stick with your doctor's instructions so that you heal well and, in a few weeks, you'll barely remember how hard it was to get protein in daily. Good luck to you all!

Keeping Lilu and Krissy in my thoughts today! Good luck, ladies!!!

Amazing and wonderful!!! I'm happy dancing right along with you!! It burns calories, too!!!

Joyous, Everyone has some worries just before surgery. It's perfectly normal. Hopefully you have researched your surgeon and hospital and you feel comfortable with them. Once that's done, then you just have to put the rest in God's hands and pray. As far as what it's like, you will probably have to show up fairly early in the day for prep. Most of us end up with compression stockings and inflating pillows for our legs to prevent clots, an IV is started and we have to wear a hospital gown. Once you're prepped, they wheel you into the OR and you're placed on the operating table, then given a breathable anesthetic. Count backwards for a second and then you're waking up in recovery. So, basically, you go to sleep and the next thing you know you're waking up and it's all over. IMO, it's more nerve-wracking for the family because they get to sit in a waiting room and not know what is going on until hospital staff comes to tell them you're okay. So, you get the "easy" part of this one! Don't let the nerves get to you. It will be over soon and you'll be on the loser's bench with me!

Your sleeve is numb right now, so you probably won't feel full for awhile. My full signal right after surgery was pain in my shoulder and it took me several days to realize that was my signal. While on liquids only, don't really expect to feel full because liquids go through your sleeve faster than solids will. Trust me, you will feel full once you start on solids...and probably much faster than you expect! I could barely eat half a scrambled egg early post op. Even now, at 7 months plus, I can barely manage an egg and two sausage patties...and that's if I'm pushing it. It will happen. Trust your sleeve to keep you in line!

I still don't do heavy weights, but I was cleared for light weights and more intense cardio at 6 weeks by my surgeon. I do high reps and low weights for my arms, abdominal exercises for my core, and lots of time on the exercise bike for my cardio. Be very careful that you are doing core work with proper form so that you don't injure your back and wait until your doctor approves you before stepping things up. The last thing you want in the early stages is an injury!

Having a good support group is essential, IMO. I've kept attending my surgeon's group even though I didn't care for the moderator because the other members were so great. Now it seems that the moderator has changed and I'm loving the new gal, so I'm even more motivated to attend the meetings!

LOVE IT! The mental image of someone else who is as uncoordinated as me is priceless!! I always feel like a moron when I try to follow a video, at least the first few times. For the most part, I stick to exercise that doesn't require me to keep up or imitate someone else...and you've just explained WHY! Good luck on getting back on the wii. In no time you'll be doing it perfect!

What an amazing post and an amazing journey so far! The fact that you have embraced the food changes so well is amazing! Your happiness shines out of both your picture and your post. Congrats and you'll be at goal very soon!!!

I'm not going to try to talk you out of surgery. I do, however, sympathize with where you're at right now. I remember being scared to death and "knowing" I wouldn't wake up from surgery. Obviously, I did and, despite being here every day, plus attending support group meetings and talking to tons of sleeve patients in other forums, I've only heard of one person who didn't survive surgery. For that matter, I've only talked to 3 people out of hundreds who regretted having the surgery. This surgery is life-changing and life-saving for so many people. Right now your head is telling you all kinds of horror stories and asking you things like "Why can't I just diet and exercise?" The truth is that most of those horror stories never come true and that most people who lose weight by dieting gain the weight back anyway. I believe it's less than 5% of successful dieters who keep the weight off for more than 5 years. The sleeve isn't magic, but it's an amazing tool to help us with losing the weight and maintaining the loss afterwards. What you're feeling is normal. I think every one of us has had similar thoughts pre-op. It's part of the process, but it's just our mind trying to cope with all the changes we know are coming. However, those changes are amazing and wonderful! Good luck! I can't wait until you're on the loser's bench with us.

You look wonderful!! Great job and an amazing transformation!! I noticed one really important thing, though... In both pictures, the person with you adores you!!!

I bought a set of weights ... 3, 5, and 8 pound weights. I use the 8 pounders a couple of times a week and the 5 pounds every other day. For me, it's almost an obsession. If I stop in front of the tv, I grab the weights and do 20-40 reps with whichever set I got. If it feels like it's too easy that day, I'll do another 20plus reps with the heavier weights. I also do some pulldowns at the gym with 30 pounds on the machine, but I'm doing those specifically to strengthen my back muscles. I have an old back injury caused by repetitive typing in the long muscle down the right side of my back, so I do the pull downs because it seems to help stretch that muscle out. You don't need high weights, just do what is comfortable. I literally started with 2 pound weights and found 10 repetitions tough at first. It's working, too. Today I moved things around in my storage unit, then carried out and in boxes without feeling back or arm strain. Some of those boxes weigh 40 to 50 pounds.