VJSlim

I'm the total opposite in this case. I used to have a bit of an oily skin, but after surgery my skin dries up quite fast and I need a moisturizer. Guess I should see a dermatologist soon.

Lol! Wine and cupcakes! Weight loss poster child you are!
Looking good.

Hey Everyone!
Almost three years ago I signed up for this page and was so excited about my journey and getting sleeved. Shortly after that I moved over to ObesityHelp.com and spent most of my time getting support over there. Well, I decided to check out this site again and boy, has it sure changed! This is a happening place! I'll have to stick around and see what the fuss is all about.
Anywho, I love my sleeve and don't regret my decision for a second. I have been loving life and living all sorts of new adventures. Here's a couple of pics. It's been very inspiring spending some time here today and reading about everyone's triumphs.
Rock on! Keeping it off is the biggest challenge!

Yesterday I turned 30 years old... it's so crazy to think that at the age of 30 I am the healthiest I have EVER been. I even think back to elementary school when I was in 6th grade wearing a size 12. I am not 30 and wearing a size 11 in juniors!!! This has got to be the most unbelievable feeling. Not only do I feel amazing, but my life has had so many positive changes over the past year that at times its hard to believe that this is my new life!
My sleeve not only changed my life, but saved it! I am so grateful that I have had this opportunity.

I purchased a pair of hot pink pants size 30 (Juniorish) back in April when I made the mental decision about the sleeve. Since my surgery May 8 I tried them on here and there but not too often. When I first tried them on I could get them past my knees and hung them on the doorway into my closet. There were days I though about returning them as they cost $39.99. I sometimes felt stupid by wasting the money and letting them just hang around. I probably tried them on at least 10 times and sometimes I noticed progress and sometimes I didn't until this morning.
I had a Tummy Tuck over eight years ago and it been holding tight even when i gain weight. Now that I am loosing I just ned to work on tightening the love handles. These pants ride a little low and I am not a fan of butt crack.

do not have a Tummy Tuck and watch a rerun of 40 year old virgin on your 5 th day of recovery!!!!! No matter how hard you try you will still laugh uncontrollably and it hurts like hell!!! My bad..lol

Sweet lord in heaven! I read two months post op
And saw the pictures and thought you meant two months post op from the sleeve!!
Ok I'm climbing back down of the bridge I was about to jump off of
YOU LOOK AWESOME!

So today is exactly 2.5 years since I was sleeved on October 22, 2010. It's hard to believe that 2.5 years have passed.
I used to have a ticker but since they took away external tickers I've been too lazy to go and make a new one here. I originally lost -100lbs at the 18 month mark, (all since surgery, I wasn't required to lose weight before surgery) and then I spent about 9 months regaining about 15-20lbs.
In January of this year I rededicated myself to this journey and now have lost -9lbs of my regain. Hoping to lose the next -10-12lbs and then keep going towards goal (when all is said and done I would like to lose another -20lbs from where I am right now.)
Not much to say, except this is the best thing I have ever done for myself and my health. My husband is also sleeved and is just a little over 2 years post-op. He has lost around 65-70lbs and has maintained that weight for over a year now.
We work out, we eat right (most of the time) and yep we work at it. Not a free ride, not the "easy way out" but a chance for us to have a do-over. We make daily choices to keep, maintain, or improve our health.
Here is my story in photos.

....to tell you all that I am in all my glory today..I started on pre op diet 2/28/13 and that day I weighed 304..my surgery was 3/6 and today 5/13.. I weigh 239...wow 65 pounds gone forever... I must say this is my year!!!! I had my life changing surgery and Saturday my boyfriend of 6 years proposed to me..So now I am engaged.. can't wait to see what the rest of the year brings..

I always enjoy before and afters. Here are mine!
I lost 200 lbs in about 11 months. I started in 24's and 3/4 X shirts. My BMI was 53 and is now 22. I now wear 2/4 pants and med/large shirts. I am 5'7. I had an apple shape before and now I am still an apple...just smaller! So jealous of the hour glass folks.
I ate about 600 calories a day/ less than 20 carbs/more than 64 oz fluid/more than 60 Protein. I truly believe, for me anyhow, the key is low carbs. I weigh, track, log every bite of food on MFP (hollirrose). I had a handful of times that I ate off plan but never for more than a meal or day.
I don't work out that often. I walk some but not consistently. Overall I am more active.
I get the most private messages about skin. I have it. My arms are awful, my upper thighs sag, my tummy will never be flat. For the most part..I think I look normal in clothes. It all tucks in pretty nicley and if I wear shapewear..I almost look skinny. Naked, I look a little like an emancipated shar pie!  
   

I'll keep it short and sweet, I promise
Height: 5'1"
BEFORE:




(left is before, right is after losing the first 40lbs)
Weight: 241
Size: 18/20 pants, XXL tops, 40DD bra
AFTER:






Weight: 138 (up to about 145 in these pics since they're a little outdated)
Size: 6 pants, S/M tops, 34C bra
I wanted to set a reasonable goal for myself, so I basically just set the goal to lost 100lbs, from 241 to 140. Now that I've gotten past that in only 8 months, I think I'm going to go for 125-130.
As a frame of reference, here is a picture of me from about 8-9 years ago when I was in high school:


I'm so happy and loving life again. This was truly the best gift I ever could have given myself and I feel so lucky to have had the opportunity to do it. I hope my story inspires others.

Yeah.,.but what WE turn into zombies and eat to much and stretch our sleeve? Or cause a leak?
Huh? What about that!

Today is my 7 month surgiversery! I can't believe how far I have come. I remember confessing to my husband the night before my surgery "what if this doesn't work, what if I fail?" As of today I have lost 101lb pounds. I am not at the finish line yet, but I know I will get there! I am 5'9", my start weight was 285 with a BMI of 42, I wore size 24-26 pants and 2x-3x tops. Today I weigh 184 lb, BMI 27.1, I wear size 14 pants and Large tops. I am so pleased with my progress, and I know for the first time in my life that my goals will become reality. I would do it all again in a heartbeat!

I came back because of some of the best information I have gotten has been on here. I have made a quite of few friends on here and I am thankful. Thanks to everyone who is there for me. And I look forward to meeting and talking to many more great people here.

I still come back after over two years. It can really help me get back on track. I'm not as "frantic" as I was the first 6-7 months, but thats a good thing!

Hey Laura,
I had a chance to speak with leeann as well. She really is a positive caring person. I am saddened she will no longer be a contribution here.
The rude, nasty behavior should not be tolerated.
This is not the place to come be sarcastic and dismissive to anyone.
It's a shame.

First let me say thank you to those here who suggested measuring. Lately,the scale has been s l o w , just going down .1 or .2 at a time. But thanks to reading here that we should measure too. I did.......and although the scale is slow I lost 3 inches in my waist and 3 inches in my hips!! That's in just 10 days. Whoohoo!!
I'm beginning to like exercising - don't think I've ever said that in my lifetime.

I came home from a week of restaurant eating limited excercise and instead of gaining, I actually made goal. I am beside myself with joy. I never really believed this day would come.
11/30/2011 Start of preop weighed 308
12/11/2011 Day of surgery weighed 300
2/23/2013 - 14 months later I weigh 158/size 8/fit and healthy!!!!! wooo hooooo
I will have to do a post with photos later... but off to the gym. I was just so excited I had to share with my fellow vets!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well here it is. I'm so embarrassed by my before photo smh, but that was me. All 330 lbs of me. Yikes!! My highest was 346 lbs at the start of this journey, but I lost 16 lbs pre op and 134 lbs post op and still going.
330 lbs day of surgery 196 lbs

Ahhh....I've been waiting 16 years to say that! It is a ONEDERFUL feeling! If you are not here yet, keep up the fight. It is so worth it!

My starting weight was 331 on 9-25-12; im currently @ 249 as of today!!! Which is 85lbs gone with 56 more lbs 2 go!!!! Jus an update!!!!
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I got around the head hunger by eating more Protein or low carb sweets like the Atkins bars. Also I told myself, "I'll eat the high Protein low carb stuff first, if I still want the ice cream, I'll have some." Most of the time, I didn't get around to eating the ice cream, other times I did. It got easier the more I did it.
And I did like vjslim suggested, remove the temptations from your house. If I really wanted something so bad, I'd have to get in the car and drive down to the store.
It worked really well, I have to really really want something to get dressed and drive to the store at 9 at night!
But I'm sure there is surveillance footage of me buying a cherry pie at Wal-Mart late at night.

My advise would be to get rid of all those tempting foods and other sliders from your cupboards. I know it sounds totally unhelpful - but in my experiece, whenever I feel that I dont have the will power to say no, I just try to avoid temptation.
Dont give up - this is a golden chance to improve our health and lifestyle. All the best!

My advise would be to get rid of all those tempting foods and other sliders from your cupboards. I know it sounds totally unhelpful - but in my experiece, whenever I feel that I dont have the will power to say no, I just try to avoid temptation.
Dont give up - this is a golden chance to improve our health and lifestyle. All the best!