jhansen71

Danyell, we had a similar starting weight, surgery a day apart, the same goal weight and I'm training for a half marathon. So many similarities. However, you've done incredibly well on your weight loss in comparison. Congrats! What is your height if you don't mind sharing? I'm always checking to see if my goal is realistic because all I ever hear is that I will be too skinny at 135.

I'm in!!! Surgery Date: 3/13/12 SW: 243.6 Challenge Starting Weight: 168.8 Halloween Challenge Goal: 153.6 Weeks in challenge: 8 Other Goals: 1. Log food every day into MFP 2. Exercise 4-5 a week 3. Run 3 times per week and work up to 15 miles per week. Good luck ghosts and goblins! I hope this challenge is full of treats and no tricks!

SW: 243.6 Challenge Starting Weight: 190.4 Last weigh-in: 170 Today: 168.8 Lost this week: 1.2 Labor Day Challenge Goal: 175, revised to 169, revised again to 169.6 So in 8 weeks of this challenge I lost 21.6 lbs (2.8 per week). I'm joining the Halloween challenge, but I am getting closer to goal so I will still be conservative on my goal, like 1.8 per week. Good luck everyone and see you on the Halloween board.

Our final weigh-in is tomorrow. Someone already started a Halloween challenge a week ago. It is called: Halloween Contest October 31 2012. They are weighing in on Saturdays, but I will most likely weigh in on Wednesdays since Halloween falls on that day. Also, it will let me recover from any indiscretions from the weekend. Lol! I'll be hopping on there Wednesday after this challenge is over. I hope to see you all on there. Good luck on the final weigh in. Woo! Hoo! Labor Dayers!!!!

Way to go!!! That is an incredible loss!!!

If you order a child's plate and still ask for a doggy bag for leftovers, you might be a gastric sleever. If your arms flap in the wind like a sail due to loose skin, you might be a gastric sleever. If you go days without seeing a single turd, you might be a gastric sleever. If you have to bear down like giving birth to get a turd out, you might be a gastric sleever. If you can't get through a day without someone making a compliment, you might be a gastric sleever. If you are obsessed with the scale at your house, you might be a gastric sleever If you go to the store and grab 3 sizes to try on because you have no idea what size you are, you might be a gastric sleever. If you walk into a regular size department and feel like everyone is staring because you don't belong in there (but you do), you might be a gastric sleever. If you involuntarily gag watching other people gorge on food, you might be a gastric sleever. If you used to shop at Victoria's Secret for undies and bras, but find yourself at Wal Mart for cheapies for multiple size replacements, you might be a gastric sleever. If you find yourself in the pictures of Wal Mart (the Internet pictures that float around), buying underwear in loose fitting Goodwill clothes, you might be a gastric sleever. If you trip on your feet constantly because your shoes that are to big, you might be a gastric sleever. If you can no longer tell time because your watch is so loose and sits halfway up your arm and backwards, you might be a gastric sleever. That's it for now. I'll see if I can think of more. Fun thread!

I was so caught up in your weight loss and losing your friend I forgot to acknowledge your home. Sorry to hear about your home and your neighbors homes. I hope the clean up/rehab process goes smoothly and every remains safe and healthy. I'm glad you are able to help. Thank God for Rex!

Lissa, Congrats!!! I guess you don't realize how much you've helped us along the way too. You are always there to help others and this is a true inspiration. I'm 5 1/2 months out and have followed you closely as well as read your responses to some of my posts. You have paved the way for many of us and the fact that you are still on here helping others speaks volumes. Many year+ sleevers move on and you have stayed to motivate and we appreciate you so much. So today I Celebrate your weight loss and have no doubt you'll make it to goal. Also, your friend may not be here physically with you, but she's here in spirit and lives in your heart. Remember this when you miss her the most. Hugs to you!!! Julie

You've still lost over 10 lbs in this challenge. Way to go!

Woo! Hoo!

Yes. I had surgery on March 13, 2012. I started at 243 and have lost 74 lbs. I weighed in at 169 this morning. My goal is to lose 108 lbs or weigh 135. However, I want to start toning up and muscle weighs more than fat so if I weigh more, but still fit in a size 6 pants I would be elated with this too. I'm currently in a size 10 pant. Oh, and I'm 5'5".

Wow, you can definitely see the weight loss. Well, I have no doubt you'll lost the other 100 too. Stay focused and keep your eye on the prize.

Awesome job!!!! Are you at goal?

I have a few questions. Did you mean your surgery was in December of 2011? The title said 2012, so wasn't sure if it was last year or the year before. Also, you've lost 125 lbs? Either way, this number is awesome! Are you at goal?

I think it depends on how the baby came out. I had a c-section so I consider this way worse than VSG. Some people who had a vaginal birth with little to no tearing may disagree (especially if they didn't have to labor or labored with an epidural) and they may have bounced back quickly. Also, everyone's threshold to pain is different too. I can only speak for myself and say I've had 4 surgeries in my life and VSG was the easiest recovery of all as far as physical pain goes. The only thing I would say is I didn't expect how weak, tired and depressed I was the first month. I just remember crying thinking I had made the biggest mistake of my life. So I would conclude by saying the pain recovery was easy, the mental part not so much.

Thanks Kalimom. Word down here is that it is not coming our way. Although if it changes courses we've stayed through bigger hurricanes, so we'll batten down the hatches and hang on tight.

They used the same scars so I'm sure there was scar tissue, but I didn't think the pain of this surgery was any worse than getting the band in and gall bladder out at the same time. I have 1 new one where the drain was put in, but other than that they are all the same ones I had.

I'm from League City (South of Houston). I have officially lost 75 lbs in 5 1/2 months and have 35 left to go. Wearing a size 10 (from a 20) and can't wait to move into a single digit. Lovin' my sleeve!!!!

I was a band to sleeve revision in one surgery and had no problems. I did not have success with the band at all, but am finding it with the sleeve. I agree with OTR in getting a revision. I think most of us have been able to lose weight, it's the keeping it off that has been the true challenge. Good luck with your decision.

Be careful with those free drinks, but have a blast!

SW: 243.6 Challenge Starting Weight: 190.4 Last weigh-in: 171.6 Today: 170 Lost this week: 1.6 Total lost in challenge: 20.4 Labor Day Challenge Goal: met goal of 175, revised to 169 Pounds to go for challenge: 1 Weeks left in challenge: 1 It took a lot for me to lose the 1.6 lbs this week. I feel like its the start of a stall, but I hope not. I would like to actually hit 168.6 by Labor Day so I can say I've actually lost 75 lbs. So 1.4 lbs to lose this week. Please, please, please I want to make it. Good luck everyone during our last week of this challenge. Let's really push it to finish strong no matter our end results. Fingers, toes, legs, arms and eyes crossed that we all find success on the scale this week.

It's a ride for sure and sometimes that's all you can do, hold on tight. You can do it!!!

I'm 5'5" and at my first post op appointment my doctor asked me what my goal was. I said I wasn't sure and he had my goal listed at 185. I started at 243.6. He based this off the norm or literature or something else, but I asked him to change it and so he did. My dr goal is 155, but my personal goal is 135. I think he just wanted me to succeed so he wouldn't go lower. Maybe he just doesn't realize how motivated I am to succeed. I'm 5 mos out and right at 170. His little goal of 155 has only made me determined to blow right on past it and reach mine at 135. Like the others have said this is a tool and it's what you make of it. Turn that disappointment into fuel for the fire lit within you. You can lose whatever you set your mind to with the sleeve. I'm convinced.