Jlo77

You can become friends on Facebook and she will ship to you. Curvy consignment

Feb 20th....starting at 319, now down to 272

I was sleeved on February 10th by Dr verboonen in TJ. I started this journey at 260 and I am 214.5 So that makes a weight loss of 45.5. I just started really exercising but I feel so darn good!

Surgery 2/14 start weight 317.5 now 278. Slow and steady

ok everyone I created a FB account that is private. You can find it with the following email: lotus4me77@gmail.com.
I will be adding everyone as I get the request........look forward to having this support group....very excited........as someone mentioend we can motivate each other thru this journey.

Sleeved 2/14 I would love a buddy too

Sleeved 2/14 I would love a buddy too

I waste more food now in 2 months than my whole lifetime pre op. poor kids in somalia. Fish fish crabs and more fish and lastly cheese. I can careless about anything else and I crave zilch and hunger is zilch.
Its still astounding as to how the weight flies off. 63lbs here at 2 months 1 day

Come on Doot. Your gonna have to change it up. I am very random on what I eat but i cant even get close to 1000 calories. Myfitnesspal tells it all for me lol
Notice the highest days. Thats when I refresh my carbs. I do things randomly because when I stayed on a constant routine my stall hit me. As soon as I went random it started falling again

You could try making your own drinks like tea and kool aide with truvia (made from the stevia leaf),,it is made with natural ingredients. Not to suggest a soda but you can get sprite with truvia as well. You could mix things up a bit..try boosting your calorie intake and increase excercise to more than 3x per week and see if that increases your weight loss. Good luck.

Water, Decaf iced tea, no calorie juices. Are you allergic to all sweeteners or just aspartame?
Try shaking up your diet and exercise routine. Add calories, add exercise, then try subtracting some of both.
You may not be stalled unless you are not losing inches. Our bodies do take a break sometimes and that's when I've noticed that things re-shape themselves.
Good luck!!

As i browsed through the forums i noticed a large amount of people either complaining or asking questions about loooose skin, and no that was not a typo lol. For us when we lose massive amounts of weight we are clearly and visibly aware of unwanted saggy skin which may be on our chin, neck, arms, legs, and stomach areas. Most us ask the questions, but never really find the answers you were looking for. Well here are 20 ways to tighten up your skin. Doing this pre-op as soon as possible, we will be able to limit the loose and saggy skin we dreadfully detest or will come to detest.
Here are 20 ways to tighten skin after weight loss
1. Lose Weight Now!
As we age, our skin naturally loses elasticity. This means that the younger the age at which you lose weight, the better your skin will rebound. if you have a weight issue, lose weight now! The sooner you lose weight, the better the chances your skin will tighten on its own.
2. Don’t Yo-yo Diet
If it seems like you’re always gaining and losing weight, more than 25 pounds each time, that’s yo-yo dieting, and it’s terrible for your body, including your skin. The constant growing and shrinking puts stress on your skin, so stop the yo-yo dieting. Rather than gain and lose weight over and over again, talk to a pro about making a few PERMANENT key lifestyle changes. These healthy changes will help you lose weight, and keep it off, long term.
3. Don’t Lose Weight Too Quickly
Slow and steady wins the race, and helps tighten your skin after weight loss. Your skin tightens slowly, so help the natural tightening process by losing weight safely and slowly, too. Besides, losing weight permanently by making broad lifestyle changes takes time, but it also helps prevent yo-yo dieting, something else that can help tighten skin after weight loss. Bonus!
4. Scrub to Tighten Skin after Weight Loss!
Scientists think the reason using sea salt scrubs (or other scrubs) helps tighten skin after weight loss is that they encourage increased blood flow, which in turn encourages healthy, elastic skin. Whatever the exact reason, it does seem to work for many people… try using a good scrub in the shower twice a day, several times a week, and see if it helps you!
5. Use a collagen Cream
Another way to tighten skin after weight loss is to keep it nourished with a collagen cream, one designed specifically to cope with loose, sagging skin. They can be pricey, but well worth the expense when they work. Note that collagen creams won’t work for everyone (nothing ever does), so ask family and friends for recommendations before you invest in a range of products that aren’t effective.
6. Try Massage Therapy
I have a particular friend who swears her weekly massage therapy helped her tighten skin after weight loss. She complain of sagging skin, particularly on her upper arms and upper thighs, and is delighted to show off her non-saggy parts now. Why not give it a go? At best, it will help tighten your skin… at worst, you get an invigorating massage.
7. Perhaps a Wrap?
Another friend tells me his skin was tightened when he got a seaweed wrap at a local spa, and now he goes every 6 to 8 weeks to enjoy its benefits. Online, I’ve found rave reviews on the local spa he frequents, and not a single negative review. Find a spa near you and do some digging… are their clients as happy as the clients at m local spa? If so, give them a try!
8. Add Weight Training
Chance are, you used weight training to help you get to your goal weight, but if not, it’s time to add them, to help tighten skin after weight loss! If you’re worried about looking overly buff and masculine, don’t be. Simply add weights to your workout three times a week, because building toned, lean muscle under your skin will help it look tighter.
Lunges are great for sagging skin on the upper thigh. In order to tighten loose skin by exercise, you need to pinpoint the right exercises that will target the area you wish to tighten the skin on. The upper thigh requires lunges, in which you tone the gluteus, upper thigh and hamstring, pulling the skin tighter to the thigh and creating a more attractive thigh area.
Squats also assist with your lower body sagging skin. Squats are a dream to tighten loose skin by exercise. They provide an ultimate lower body workout for the gluteus and thighs. With your feet shoulder length apart, you simply keep your back straight as you lower yourself into a sitting position as if you were sitting in a chair.
Bicep curls target that nasty underarm hang. The arm skin that hangs down has been called many things by its biggest haters. This problem seems to be one of the ladies’ biggest woes and can be targeted with bicep curls. It is important that when you tighten loose skin by exercise you perform exercises that are toning the muscle, and therefore the surrounding skin.
Planks work that stomach flab. With your hands under your shoulders, hold your arms out with your legs straight and toes holding your legs up. You get the most abdominal toning with this exercise the longer you hold the stance. The recommended time is 20 to 30 minutes.
Crunches are painful but highly effective. When you are seeking the ultimate way to tighten loose skin by exercise and targeting the stomach skin flap, crunches can be the most effective. Crunches provide complete toning for the abs if performed appropriately. The back should be straight with the chin level, and you will raise your torso to your knees, fighting the resistance. This will be one exercise you will feel later.

9. Drink Water to Help Tighten Skin after Weight Loss…
Healthy skin is hydrated skin, and despite the debate in the scientific community about whether or not drinking 64 ounces of water a day can help keep skin healthy and happy, I’ve seen the results myself. Perhaps it’s because, if you’re drinking that much water, you’re not drinking soda, loaded with unhealthy chemicals… or perhaps it’s because healthy, elastic skin really does need water. Either way, it works.
10. Practice Yoga
Yoga will help you relieve stress, be more flexible, lose weight or maintain a healthy weight, and even help your skin rebound after weight loss. They key with yoga, and any other regimen for that matter, is to Start off slow, and within a few weeks, you’ll be surprised how much more flexible you, and your skin, can be.
11. Be Patient
I suppose I ought to mention that after a significant weight loss, your skin can take up to six months to tighten to the new, slender you. Be patient, then… if your skin doesn’t rebound immediately, keep in mind that it may take a little time. Just like setting realistic weight loss goals is important, setting realistic goals for your body to adjust is important, too.
12. Do Calisthenics
Calisthenics are great for building lean muscle, great for your heart, and they’re even great for tightening skin after weight loss! Add a round of calisthenics to your weekly routine, three or four times a week, and enjoy the jumping jacks, push-ups, windmills, and more… they can be fun, and they’re helping your skin readjust at the same time. Shaun T's Beachbody P90, P90X, Insanity are great suggestions.
13. Eat Plenty of Lean Protein
Adding lean Protein to your diet will also help tighten skin after weight loss. How? First of all, it helps build lean muscle, which will make you appear more toned (well, you WILL be more toned!). But lean protein also contains the collagen and other nutrients your skin needs to stay elastic. Protip: consuming lean protein after a workout will help boost the muscle-building effect.
14. Avoid High-fat Foods
Foods that are high in fat are a dieter’s worst nightmare on two fronts. First, obviously, they can wreck your diet. Second, they do your skin no favors. If you’re trying to keep a healthy weight, or tighten skin after weight loss, avoid foods that are high in fat. Even the ones that taste really, really good. ESPECIALLY the ones that taste really, really good! Studies have shown that these high fat foods can even be addictive… so stay away!
15. Try for Five
The USDA recommends we eat five servings of fresh fruits and veggies every day, to give us nutrients we need, and to help us maintain healthy weights. But did you also know these five servings will help tighten skin after weight loss? That’s because most fruits and veggies have a high water content, which your skin needs to rebound. And again, they’re very good at helping ou maintain a healthy weight!
16. Avoid Sulfates to Tighten Skin after Weight Loss…
Sulfates are used in lots of body washes, soaps, and shampoos because they’re good, cheap cleansers and they make lush lather. But sulfates can also over-dry and irritate skin, stripping it of vital moisture and making it less elastic. If you’re trying to tighten skin after weight loss, shop around for sulfate-free products. L’Oreal offers a great line, for a very reasonable price.
17. Don’t Tan
The tanning process is horrible for your skin, especially when you’re using a tanning bed to boost your melanin. You might think it makes your skin look smoother and healthier, but it doesn’t. Wear sunblock when you’re outdoors, and don’t fake and bake. You’ll see your skin tighten more quickly, and you’ll also avoid a greater risk of skin cancer.
18. Rinse Away Chlorine
Excess chlorine from swimming pools and hot tubs can dry out your skin, making it less elastic, and less likely to rebound after weight loss. If you swim to keep fit, be sure to shower immediately after, and use cleaners designed to remove chlorine and moisturize your skin. Also, remember that you don’t need HOT water to rinse chlorine away, use warm water instead, which will also help keep your skin hydrated (hot water can strip away natural oils).
19. Dress The Part
Even the skinniest person can have a muffin top if their jeans are too tight. You may not have excess skin, or loose skin, after weight loss… you might just need to wear clothes that fit better. Give this some serious thought while clothes shopping.
20. Consider Surgery
If all of these tips fail to tighten your skin after weight loss, and you’ve waited six months since you dropped that last pound, you may want to consider surgery to remove the excess skin. As with any surgery, there are risks, but for some, those risks are outweighed by the benefits. Talk to your doctor.
You’ve already done the hard part — you’ve lost weight! Now follow these tips to tighten your skin after weight loss, and you’ll be bikini ready in no time… well, at least within 6 months! You can do it! Or… perhaps you already have? Which of these tips worked to tighten your skin after weight loss? Or do you have another skin care tip to share? Please do!
Credit goes out yo Meghan, for taking her time to write this...

So I have to confess a purple peep has been sacrificed already. My husband bought me sugar free candy this year but I am limiting myself to 2 pieces a weeks. Anyone else struggling already with candy today.

I know. I did share this with one woman at work who was telling me her knees hurt. I said something innocuous I guess -- and she said, no; I know it's because I'm overweight. And this woman really is --- I'm thinking she's 350 or more. Nicest person. So I told her the whole story of my journey -- I had probably gotten down to 220 or so by then, and she said, " Well, I'd never do anything that drastic."
Which I guess I understand. The thing is....you know....drastic? You're dying. You can't *walk*. Come on....

Well, I think you're in luck! You have a simple solution and already know what you need to do. I would recommend going back to square one. You've done it before, you have to do it again.
It's like the person who goes into the Dr and says my arm hurts when I do this, and the Dr replies, well then, don't do that. You crave sweets and eat them ... feel like crap and don't lose weight ... well ... guess what my advice is going to be?
Get rid of all the sweets in your house. Don't buy them and if someone gives you a box of chocolates, say thanks and give them to someone else. Make their day and yours as well. Don't give into the mindset of, "If I eat just one, it won't kill me" ... it will. Just get rid of all the trigger foods. There's another old saying ... sit in a barber shop long enough, you're going to get your hair cut. Best way to avoid getting a hair cut is to not walk into barber shops.
Don't think I'm immune to this, by any means. I know these demons as well and battle them daily. But, I exercise a lot and when a chocolate bar is staring me down, I know I am going to have to run a mile to balance that bar ... then I grab an apple instead ... (sometimes )

Yes, I just came off of a 4 day birthday bender for my 7 year old to be followed up by an Easter Egg hunt. Cupcakes, ice cream, chocolate ... oye! I did give in and I physically felt like cr@p afterwards. I think with our new sleeves we are more nutritionally sensitive to these swings.
More likely, this is how "normal" people react and it is just new to us. It is what keeps them from going on these sweets benders ... I'm learning ... sometimes you have to hit me over the head ... but I learn ...

Was sleeved 2/14 I feel healthier then ever. I lost 32 lbs so far. I have a ton of energy and I love to workout. I go to gym at least 3-4 times a week. I walk for 30 a day. I keep my calories under 700. I am able to eat 3-4 oz of fish, turkey or chicken somedays. I am burned out on yogurt, cottage cheese and ricotta. I found I can tolerate Decaf coffee Foldgers called smooth. I love sheetz non fat cold latte. Dq has spelenda smoothies with Protein, sometimes I bring my own protein.

Head hunger is the worst

Head hunger is the worst

Tomorrow is Day 22 since my surgery and I start my sugeon's Phase III diet. This consists of 3 meals a day of 1.5 - 2 oz. meat plus 1 oz. fruit or veggies and then one snack of 6-8 oz yogurt plus 1 oz fruit and then 2 Protein Shakes to help boost Protein intake. I am not allowed to have carbs other than fruit or veggies until I'm six months out. Of course I'm also required to drink 100 oz of fluids which I have not been having a problem with since Day 4 post-op.
Thankfully my Lapband experience is helpful when it comes to this as I recall how much I just loved noodless lasagna. I just bought a new crockpot last night
and intend to make real good use of that.
The key thing I am interested in seeing is how well I will tolerate real food and how much I will even be able to eat. I have been so thrilled that on my current
full liquid diet I have easily gone 4-5 hours between meals without hunger and have not had any cravings whatsoever. I feel the first real test of my sleeve begins tomorrow.
So my plan for tomorrow is:
Breakfast - 1 scrambled egg with a little cheese
a.m. snack - Protein shake
lunch - 1/4c part skim ricotta with 1 T spaghetti sauce and 1 t. parm cheese
p.m. snack - 6 oz light yogurt and 1 oz fruit
dinner - making Pepsi Pork in my crockpot - made with pork loin, cream of chicken Soup, onion soup mix and a can of diet pepsi (leaves no carbonation).
Evening - Protein Shake
I'm also planning on making salsa chicken in the crockpot this week as well as meatballs (recipes appreciated I realize that with the volume of food
we can eat I may have leftovers for weeks so will do some freezing.
Just wondering how others did at this stage and I welcome any other meal ideas. I have always hated fish; actually was OK with tuna salad when I was young
but at age 17 was on Weight Watchers where I ate tuna fish every day for 6 months and have never eaten it since - and that's over 30+ years ago.
I am hoping that my tastebuds have changed so I am open to trying different foods again - my husband grills a lot.
I appreciate any input or ideas you have to share.
On a very positive note - I am now down 25 lbs since my pre-op diet; my wedding rings and clothes are definitely looser and I can see my face slimming
down - WooHoo! Excited to start this new chapter....
Thanks.
Susie 2.0

I am one month post op today as well. I am about 23-25 lbs down, I have been fluctuating but started my more vigorous walking this week and it seems to be helping me get out of this plateau. I am seeing the inches come off though which is exciting, I fit into a lot of clothes that were ridiculously tight on me.
I am still doing soft foods, fork tender stuff which seems to be going well. Crackers and LF cream cheese go down really easy when I am famished. I do seem to be getting hungry like every 3-4 hours some days but I snack on LF yogurts, cottage cheese and more nourishing foods like that if it's in between meal time.

I started out my pregnancy back in 2007 at about 250lbs and was 268 right before surgery. I have a flabby pouch on my stomach that is shrinking but not as fast as I'd like. I'm also 40 so who knows if it'll ever be gone of if I'll have to resort to plastics to get rid of it. Hopefully insurance will pay when the time comes!

Dr.told me it is different for everyone. Just like pregnancy stretch marks. Some get it some do not? I will cross that bridge when I get to it. 1 thing at a time. Get healthy and look good first. Good luck!

Bluebonnet magnolia: totally understand the 'emotions all over the place'. Same here!! Just keep breathing and trying to relax. We'll settle down here at some point I'm sure!
E-girl: reading your post was like I was writing it myself. Exactly what I've been thinking. But we absolutely must keep our eyes on the prize. Stay focused. Just THINK what it will be like when we get to our goals. And by then be able to enjoy most any foods, just in smaller quantities than most people. And that's okay! We will have to adjust to the 'social' aspect of eating with family and friends, but we can do that. It's all in what we focus our minds on. When I focus on what foods I can't enjoy, and Lord there are many I've thought of this past week, I get depressed and down and grouchy! Or when I think "damn I can't even take my daughter out to lunch becuz I'd jut be sitting there twittling my thumbs!" that gets me a lil upset. So why do it? Why focus on that. Why not take her out and just chat and listen instead of getting lost in what i'm eating!? We MUST stay positive and think how much fun it's going to be as we near our goals!!!!!! It's gonna be awesome!!!!!!! We're gonna be so much healthier and such hot mommas!!!! Hang in there!!

Did I drink much today? I barely get in 40oz of fliud a day much less 4oz of food. Hey and no cheeseburger. Many on here just cannot see why one would even consider putting one of the things that got you fat in the first place back in your mouth. The thing with me is I am never hungry so what I choose to feed myself is up to me and not my mind.
Sit back relax and pounder on that for awhile.