kittenkate

Not as much as I should. I go to LA Fitness for weights and cardio, and then on Sundays I do Water aerobics. I'm usually only there for an hour at a time though.

LOL! I assure you, I'm old enough to appreciate it. Gamer for life!

I LOVE LOVE LOVE your profile picture. Zelda is my absolutel favorite!!! The triforce tattoo is one of my gifts to myself once I hit goal.

I did. That was a month where I was actually very sick and couldn't keep much down. It was a very hard uncomfortable month, but the loss is pretty nice.

What an AMAZING outpour of love, thank you all SO much!! My starting weight was 387 and as of today I am down to 243. Just incredible!

I'm sorry if this comes off as a brag post but I'm just so dang excited! I came across a picture of myself from last Christmas (only 8 months ago!) that blew my mind. I don't remember EVER looking like that! Here's that picture along with one I took this past weekend. Please excuse my deranged smile, I was excited that that shirt fit me. Haha. -137 pounds!

Thank you all so much for your input! *note to self* Pick up Zinc!

At 1 month out, that's awful. I hope you told him how that made you feel. If he doesn't know it upset you he will probably do it again. At 1 month out I didn't want to eat ANYTHING. I used to eat McDonald's, Taco Bell, or In N Out every single day. For the first few months after surgery I had no desire to eat anything let along fast food. Now that I'm further along the cravings have come back. I don't deny myself anything though. I count calories so if I really really want an In N Out burger I save up enough calories for the 3 bites I'll be able to eat. The money thing helps too. Spending $8 on a meal I am only able to eat a tiny portion of is no fun. Sorry that happened. Just focus on the outcome. Don't trade what you want now for what you want most.

I wish I had been smarter about clothes shopping. Maybe I'm just too vain, but I hate being in clothes that don't make me feel good and walking around in super baggy clothes is the worst. I was buying new clothes every couple sizes. That probably helped contribute to the 2 giant contracter trash bags of clothes I just donated to good will the other day. I do most of my shopping at Ross now, they have cute clothes for pretty cheap.

Where do you get Biotin shampoo? I'm taking the supplements but I want to add the shampoo to that too!

My hair has always been fine but I used to have a TON of it and I can tell how much it's thinned out. You've colored your hair and had no issues with it?

Hey Ladies! I have been highlighting my hair since I was about 13 (it would have been so much easier if God had made me a natural blonde). I am in DESPERATE need to dye my hair, but I have been battling the dreaded hair loss. I take Biotin every day and it has definitely helped. I still pull out a relatively large clump of hair when I get out of the shower but I can tell that it's less and less each time. Should I wait to have my hair chemically treated? I don't want it to all fall out but my roots.....oh man they're bad..... What do you guys think? Risk it or wait? Anyone out there ever have their hair colored post-surgery, espcially during the hair loss phase?

*sigh* I wish that was my only problem. I've gone from a 44D to a very unhappy 38B. It's very sad. However! I have over 200 pounds to lose total. When I lost the first 100 I got myself a beautiful opal ring that I wear everyday. When I lose the next 100 I am getting myself a boob job. I can't wait!

I traveled to California 2 weeks after surgery and I was perfectly fine. As someone who travels to Disney 7 or 8 times per year let me give this piece of advice: Bring something from your doctor saying that you had the surgery. Sometimes they give a letter, sometimes they give a card for you to carry. Either is fine. This way you can order off of the kid's menu when you eat at the parks. food there is expensive and the kid's meals are still more than I can eat so I'd rather pay $8 for that than $28 for wayyyy too much food. It's Disney so they will be super accomodating but having that letter just helps anyway. Have a magical time!

Popcorn is a big one for me. I can barely get through a few spoonfuls of tuna fish before I'm feeling full but I can eat a whole bag of popcorn without much trouble. I am of the mentality that I don't want to deny myself things that I really want. (That's food, of course. I really want a Porsche Caymen too but I will deny myself that one. lol) I love to have it when I go to the movies so I get the smallest bag of popcorn. No additional salt or butter. But thats the only time I allow it. Slider foods don't have to also be "never again" foods, you just have to (like everything else with this surgery) be mentally prepared and willing to say no.

That's very common, I went through the exact same thing.

Exact same thing happened to me. It was the first time I had ever had anything like that happen to me. I was 17 and it was the Batman the Ride ride at Six Flags Over Texas. It was mortifying! I haven't been back to Six Flags since (I'm 27 now) but I'm going this Sunday, for the first time, to make that ride my b***h, and I can not wait! Haha

Starting weight: 387 Weight day of surgery: 375 Current weight: 257 Total loss so far: 130 pounds!

I color my hair every few months, think I should wait before coloring again?

I only just noticed my hair falling out. It was slow at first but it seems like it's more and more now. Thankfully I had a TON of hair, it was just fine so it never looked like I had that much. I have started taking Biotin everyday. I can already tell a difference in my nails (I'm a biter, bad habit) so hopefully it's helping my hair too. I know it's not permanent but I really hate losing my hair.

I knew exactly what I wanted as my first solid, real food and that was crab legs. They are my very favorite thing, so thats what I had. Thankfully they are also really easy to eat. Pick something high in protein!

Gas pains are the most common but much like Gene I didn't have any gas pains. My surgeon was fantastic and got the majority of the excess gas out. The worst pain I remember was climbing stairs. I slept downstairs at my house for the first week because climbing up and down stairs pulled on the muscles and caused some pain. During the first night in the hospital I requested one shot of morphine and that was all I needed. Overall, the pain has been very minimal.

I have never had a problem with the spotlight being on me. I spent soooo many years in the shadows because of my weight that I am soaking up every ounce of positive attention I can get. Sometimes I think "If I had just lost this weight in high school I would have been so much more popular". However. I am very strong minded and strong willed and down to earth. That may not be the case had I not had to be strong and deal with the negativity from my peers growing up. That being said. The tables have turned and now its other people wanting to be MY friend instead of the other way around. Guys hold doors for me, buy me drinks, give me compliments. I'm strong enough and smart enough to be able to appreciate and enjoy the attention without leading them to believe something is going to happen that SO isn't. Everyone is different. You're either comfortable or you aren't. We had this surgery to improve our lives, not other people's lives. Surround yourself with people you trust and love. Everyone else is just trying to mooch off your happiness and success!

I'm 27. I appreciate everyone referring to ourselves as "youngsters" because 30 is creeping up on me and I feel anything but young. Haha. I had the surgery back in January and its 100% the best decision I ever made. Good luck with your process and keep us posted! Feel free to add me as a friend or message me if you have any questions. It's only been 6 months since surgery but I can assure you I have been through it ALL. Haha.