DaniEA

Well, think of it like this, you get your points based on a formula that includes your current weight. There is a number of calories needed to maintain your current weight and the points puts you right under that so you can lose at a slow pace. As your weight goes down, your points go down because it takes less effort by your body to simply exist the lighter you are. For example, I exert x amount of calories just walking up a few stairs because I'm heavy and it makes my body do hard work. Someone half my size isn't doing as much work and therefore burning less calories.
With the sleeve, you start off eating like 500-800 calories which is a HUGE deficit. This is what causes the weight loss. As you get closer to goal (and therefore want to maintain, not necessarily lose) you begin to eat a normal healthy caloric amount 1,000 - 1,200 calories per day. That's what a normal healthy person eats. Except for the one super fit member blackberryjuice (or something like that)....she eats more calories than that because her fab muscular body burns it off! So yeah, you calories go up, but it's because your body is now in maintenance mode. Your body won't survive on 500-800 calories forever.
This isn't scientific at all...just thoughts off the top of my head. I'm not a doctor nor do I play one on television.

I'm an optimist by nature, although I'm not sure WHERE I got that attitude. I've been on a couple of message boards for over 20 years with the same two groups of ladies and, over time, we've probably discussed everything under the sun. One of the gals on those boards started calling me the "Queen of the Silver Lining" because, no matter how bad a situation was, I was always looking for the positive in it.
Sometimes I feel almost like Pollyanna because I just ignore a lot of bad things that happen. Maybe ignore isn't the right word, but it's like I don't even recognize how bad something is until I'm hit over the head with it. IMO, if that's what it takes for me to stay cheerful, then that's fine.
I have my days where I falter, but I keep reminding myself that I've come SO far from where I was. I'm down over 90 pounds from where I started. I can walk longer distances than I could handle before, and I feel like I've lost 20 years off my age. What's not to be thrilled about? I still have a long way to go to get to my goal, but I WILL make it there. 7 and a half months ago I could not imagine that I would willingly go to the gym every day, or be thrilled when I got off the exercise bike dripping sweat. I couldn't imagine that I'd be happy to do calisthenics or to lift weights, but THAT is where I'm at now. I ride the bike (almost) every day. I lift weights daily and even carry a small weight in the car so I can do biceps curls when I'm driving.
My future's so bright, I gotta wear shades!

You can always create an "Adventure List" with your kids and together ya'll can choose 10 'adventures' to go on with you as you lose weight. Fun, silly, or creative stuff that you may not be able to do easily now. That way she'll look at it not only as fun and something to look forward to, but it can also show her that change isn't scary and that good things can come from it. Write it up, decorate it with glitter/stickers/whatever and put it on the fridge so that they can see it every day.

Oh Wheetsin, that is priceless...!! Bless her and her boogie!

Hey! i have my surgery date!!! April 25th!!! Im 25, 5'5" & 250lbs.... I can't wait to get this done and get healthy!

Thank you guys sooo much for the info! I will see if I can try some samples, didn't even think of that! Im getting pretty nervous as the days go by. I just can't imagine life without food as my "best friend".... Im ready to learn though!! God knows Im gonna be one mean girl for those 2 wks preop haha!

I want in on this too!! :-) surgery is April 25 for me and Im having it done in SC :-)

Im going to him to! April 25th!! Whoop whoop :-)

Congrats! you look so great and HAPPY!! can't wait to post pictures like this. :-)