FluffyBleu76

I was sleeved 4/20 and I was at the mall shopping for shoes for my little one. We walked past See's Candy and... drum roll... it smelled not so good! WTH!!! Me and that store are BFFs. I would go there once every two weeks and get 2 pieces of candy. I never overindulged with See's because it's pricey and the chocolate is so rich. What gives?

I feel like a blimp! Not much pain except for the gas and I feel super bloated. I have been walking... alot! What else can I do?

Thank you all so much! I have been walking in circles around the house. I think tomorrow I am going to have my husband take me to the mall and walk around there. The walking does help! I think I underestimated how beneficial walking would be, Again, thanks for all the advice and encouragement.

Thanks Debby! The pain isn't bad but the bloating is horrible. What else can I do to get this gas out?

My husband is a truck driver as well. He is not overweight at all but he has lost quite a bit of muscle mass and that isn't healthy either. Despite my dietary and health setbacks, I have equipped my hubby with many fresh fruits and veggies as for the past year he gets about 2 or 3 days home weekly (dedicated routes are awesome). He also does a lot of walking at home and hopefully he will start strength training with me when I can exercise :-) I know how hard it is maintain healthy eating on the road but I think with this tool, you can regain your health! You already have the support of a loving spouse that is soooooooo vital. I wish you many blissful and healthy years Hutch. Congratulations on taking charge of your life.

I have been doing really good on my 10 day pre-op diet. Surgery is scheduled for 4/20 and I am wondering if I should get this procedure now? I am thinking I am motivated because of the surgery but... I guess I am just nervous.

I love hummus and I wanted to know if that would be a good post-op soft/pureed food. I also like mashed up pinto or black beans. Would that work?

One pound of fat is equal to one pound of muscle. The difference is the composition. Fat is lumpy and is just, well, fat. Whereas muscle is very dense. For example, you have 2 men weighing 200 lbs. and 6 ft. tall. Man "A" watches 40 hours of TV and eats pizza all the time. Man "B" does strength training 4-5 days a week and eats healthy carbs. The difference is Man "B" has leaner, denser mass compared to Man "A" who has bulky, lumpy mass. Back in the days when I was in shape, I never let the scale define me. I was a Div.I collegiate athlete and according to the charts, I was always obese. Now that I really am, I still do not look like it (thank God for my days of being an athlete) but I know my actual body fat percentage is much higher in comparison to my lean muscle mass. Ask your trainer if he/she knows of a place where you can get your body composition analyzed. Once you know how much fat you have actually lost, i am sure you won't be too bothered by the number on the scale! Keep up the good work,

I would say you look not quite 15 but definitely about 19! Either way, you look great... keep it up!

LOL @ Fatty: Although our weight issues are not a laughing matter, I couldn't help but chuckle at your screen name:-) @ Chell: Like Fatty said, any surgeon that requires you to be on liquids for sooooo long is questionable. Remember, this is life changing so if you don't feel something is right or you don't understand, ASK, ASK, ASK. And if you don't get clear and concise answers, look elsewhere. Best of luck to the both of you in your weight loss endeavors!

How do you get the free samples? I don't want to get anything from the stores in our area (BJ's is over priced!).

Spanx! A friend of mine who had lapband swears by it. http://www.spanx.com/home/index.jsp?camp=kw=s3z4kqrpW|pcrid|11953337996|spanx

I am great Better! Thanks for asking. Endoscopy went well and it looks like things are on track!

I am good Better! Thanks for asking. Endoscopy went well and it looks like things are on track.

I am set to have my surgery on 4/20. As the surgery date draws nearer, I am pondering my new life. I love water now and I wonder will I ever be able to enjoy water like I used to? I like raw veggies and I wonder if I will ever be able to enjoy those again. I keep thinking that maybe I can do this without surgery but as soon as I stand up, the pain in my ankles, feet and one knee quickly bring me back to reality. I don't want to have giant plates or stuff myself every Thanksgiving, I just want to be healthy and enjoy life.

Woo hoo!!!!! I do love downing a bottle of water but sips are cool and as long as I can enjoy raw veggies during the summer, I am good. I was told this surgery decreases your desire for junk food. I hope this is true because I am a carb addict. Otherwise, I eat pretty healthy.

I love fruit! Will I have to give up fruit?

I have an out of pocket of $3000!!! But, my job gives us an *** and ppo with no premium for me or my family. So, I guess this isn't so bad considering I have never had to pay for insurance in 8 years.

I did research on this about 12 years ago. At 5'4.5" tall, at my healthiest, I weighed 162 lbs. According to the BMI calculation, I was "overweight" with a bmi of 26.9. I was also lifting weights and working with football players in the gym. I was far from overweight. I knew then that the BMI was an archaic standard that didn't take muscle mass or ethnicity into consideration. I have a friend who is bigger than me but her BMI is lower. I have wondered since I got the approval from insurance if they would come to the same conclusion if body fat percentage was used instead of BMI.

LOL... my husband did the same thing!!!!! All you can do is look at them and sigh.

This maybe waaaayyyy TMI but, my husband has told me he has plans for me after the surgery (he, he, he). He asked me if I was still as limber as I was in my days of gymnastics LOL On a more serious note, in the past before my orthopedic issues were such a problem, I have lost weight from diets and exercise and hubby was thrilled! Not just because I felt better about myself but because I was healthier. In his words, "I want you in this life and in the after-life so if getting surgery can make you healthier and hotter than I am behind you 200%". While I think some of our significant others would get a little annoyed at some extra attention, I believe that if the person really cares about you, the results of the surgery will only enhance things. Please keep us posted,

I had my gallbladder out at 19. I wasn't overweight at that time so with the first attack, the ER gave me pain medication and sent me home. The second attack had me thinking I was going to die so I made my "death bed" confessions to my mother, asked her to give my siblings certain things of mine and wrote a letter telling everyone how much I loved them. I passed out from the pain! Fortunately, the next ER decided to do an ultra-sound sound on my abdomen and I had 3 very large rocks in my gallbladder! Surgery was scheduled for a few days later. Now, besides having to answer to my parents for some of my confessed mischief, I think that having those attacks were the best thing that happened to me. From what I hear from others, the attacks happen more frequently and are worse. Had I known that I had gallstones, I would have never waited for the pain... it's not worth it. Get the surgery.

I have been looking for this answer but I haven't come across it. I know everyone heals differently but this is something my husband and I desperately want to know