DIAMOND45

Congrats on your 2 mini jogs! And you re right, you have to start somewhere and after a while you will have 4, then 6 mini jogs and you will notice that as you progress, there will be less of you to jiggle, LOL! Keep pushing on girl!

I agree with Traceyc, I had surgery on 3/15/2012 and I was dropping lbs. good and then at 6 weeks out I stalled. I was excercising really good, getting my fluids in and I was eating right. When I went for my checkup my doctor advised me that I might not be eating enough calories and that my body may be in starvation mode, so I kicked up my calories about 200 more a day to go with the excercise I am doing and for my metabolism's sake and OMG! I started losing real good again and today, I am down 36 lbs. and 3 dress sizes. So please feed your Metabolism, it's hungry!!

I've been sleeved for almost 2 months and I love it. My sleeve has helped me finally be and feel in control of my weight and health. Since I had this procedure done, I am more motivated to get up and exercise at least 4 to 5 times a week, I started with walking right after surgery and everyday up til my 6 weeks out and now I swim, I do strength training, zoomba and I still walk alot. It does take making some serious adjustments, as far as changing eating and drinking habits, but it is well worth this for me. My sleeve, has become my 3rd best friend, ( God 1st, & hubby 2nd). No regrets at all!!! I was a snug size 16 on March 1 and now I'm in a comfortable 12, thanks to my self and my sleeve partnership!

By the way, here's some encouragement, when I started my pre-op liquids I wore a snug size 16, now I am wearing a very comfortable size 12 and I'm only 7 weeks post-op. This is what you have to look forward to if you go ahead with your surgery. Yayyy!!!

Hey Vicki, Don't be discouraged, all will be well for you after surgery. I lost 15 lbs the first 10 days pre-op, but by the time I had my surgery, I had gained 3 of it back and I was true to my liquids, I did not cheat at all. Since my surgery though I (March 15, 2012) I'm getting close to 35 lbs lost total. Every ones body loses at a diferent rate, and dependinng on metabolism and how much weight one has to lose. Trust me, if you have this surgery, and follow all the doctors instructions during your recovery and stay true to each post-surgery food phase along with proper excercise for what ever stage you're in, then you will lose the weight. Also, I've noticed that even when I had my first weightloss stall at 6 weeks out, I still was losing inches, because I was able to fit comfortably in clothes that were too tight just 2 weeks before. My doctor said that my body was adjusting itself to the weight I had already lost and that muscle was replacing itself in places where fat used to be. So even though the scale had not moved, I was still getting smaller. Remember, a pound is a pound, but muscle is leaner, so the couple of pounds you've seen return may be gained muscle or it could simply be water weight gain, you know, that happens to us girls all the time. Good luck on your surgery, and looking forward to hearing about your progress along this journey. Keep Smiling!!

Hello my sleeve family, It's feels good to be back blogging after finally becoming officially sleeved in March. It has been a (sometimes surprising) journey for me, but My God held my hand and sometimes carried me along the way. I feel so very blessed for this wonderful gift that has already changed my life and given me such a positive outlook for a much healthier future. Thank You Lord!! Now, let's have some Spiritual Vitamins! P for Perserverance Perserverance means: A steady persistance in adhering to a course of action, a belief, a pupose, steadfastness. Scripture: 1 Corintians 9:24 says, Do you know that in a race all runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way that "you" get the prize. A "persevering spirit" is so very important when making the life changing decision to have weightloss surgery. You have to totally commit yourself to changing your mind's old way of thinking about food and excercise, learning from the relationship you've had with or without them for a very long time. You need to "get on your mark, get set, and go!!!" Each of us are running a race to be much healthier, and for some of us, the race is to save our lives. Many of us will get in our own way, tripping over our feet during this race. Some of us will just sit down because we are tired, and don't feel like we can win, because we have so far to run. But this is where each of our "personal perserverance" has to kick in. We can't quit, we can't give up, we can't get tired, because we are worth so much more than what we are right now. I say to any one who will read this, do not doubt yourself for this decision, you made the right choice, and you will be a winner in the race that is set before you, if you hang on, stay positive and focused, pushing on through perserverance and allowing God, our Father, to lead you every step of the way! Decide this day, to "Be The Winner!"

I'm for weeks out and my stomach still growls at me everyday! I guess that's its way of letting me know to send down some food since I don't have the "Hunger Hormone" in there anymore. Rught after I eat something, it stops for about 3 hours, then it starts up again and I also have a slight hiccup as well, but I can live with all of this because I'm feeling and looking better every day!

I mixed the green Isopure with some black cherry Propel fitness water and Omg it was delicious! Reminded me of Jolly Ranchers green apple candy. I drink a botle of it every day, and 1 bottle has 40 grams of pure protein.

Hi Jared, I'm almost a month out and I feel great!! I was a little concerned about being able to eat if they took out part of my stomach, but then I started thinking about how much we as a society overeat any way and how much I've probably stretched my stomach out of its natural size to hold all the extra food that I've been indulgimg on forever, I decided I would be fine and that it was about time I that I started eating to live and stop living to eat. I don't feel any different, I just get full faster, I do look different (Yay!) because so far I've lost almost 30 lbs and I no longer have high blood pressure. The only difference I see in my life since I decided to have the surgery is that I can't eat as much as I use to, I have no desire to eat crappy, unhealthy food, I really look forward to excercising, and for once in my life I'm learning how to eat right, lose weight and keep it off. So I am officially PUSHING over the fence into the operating room. GET IT DONE!!! LOL

Hi Jen, Just wanted to give you some words of encouragement. You are not making a bad decision. The wrong decision would be not to do what is best for your health. I believe that God wants hisw children to be complete in all aspects of our live, spiritually, mentally and physically. People who are either satified with being over- weight or who have never had to struggle with their weight don't understand how hard it is to successfully lose weight and keep it off. They are probably looking at you and saying that you are not big enough to need this surgery, but let me tell you, if you are 60-70 lbs or more overweight, this surgery can really help you get on the path to a much healthier, happier quality of life. I decided to have this surgery because I was diagnosed with hypertention in December 2011, I had to start taking a low dose pill and my doctor said it was weight related, that was all i needed and I started researching docs and everything about this surgery that I could. I finally picked a doctor, had my consult on Feb. 2 and my surgery on March 15th. I've lost almost 30 lbs since my surgery (including pre-op liquids) and guess what, I no longer have hypertention and my arthritis in my knee doesn't bother me as much anymore. I give God al the honor, praise, and glory for leading me down this path. So don't be afraid, pray and trust in the Lord, He will be with you and I will be praying for you and your family. If you like, check out my blog, I post some spiritual Vitamins that have helped me as well as others with our struggles. You will be fine and I will ask God to watch over you, your surgeon, and everyone who will be involved with your surgery. You will have NO COMPLICATIONS, GOD IS REAL!!!!!!

Keep on expressing yourself and losing those pounds. Some of the reasons you listed were my thoughts as well for why I had the surgery. You're on your way to a new happier you, so enjoy every step of the journey and have some fun along the way!

OMG! GIRL, I am 4 days post op, but I love shrimp and pasta, so I will definitely be putting this recipe in my book. Thanks for the idea and keep em' coming Lol!

Very well put! You have the right idea about stepping outside of yourself and putting focus on what you can do or how you can contribute to someone else's life in a positive way. This is certainly the way I live my life on a daily basis and God is constantly rewarding and taking care of all my needs( and some of my wants).

A JOYFUL SALUTATIONS TO MY SLEEVE FAMILY, Psalms 95:6 "Come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our Maker." "Let Us Pray" Father, as I come humbly bowed, before your throne of grace and mercy, I would first, like to repent of all the sins that I have committed against you, up to this very moment, whether they were in my word, thought, or actions. I ask, that you Father, will find delight in me, forgiving and cleansing me of all my unrighteousness. Lord, I thank you for waking me this morning, allowing me to see another of your glorious days. Father, I ask, that as I journey throughout this day, that I encounter nothing on , my path, that together with you, I can not handle. I pray my Lord, that I show to all, in the way I conduct myself, that I belong to you, so they may see my good works and want to glorify you also. I give thanks to you Father God, for all the many blessings that you have given me and the ones I am yet to receive. I thank you Father, for every time you discipline me today when I stray from your word, because you love me. Please Lord, search my sinful heart and take out anything that will hinder my service to you. I have put into your arms, care of all my love ones, that you will watch over and protect them from all hurt, harm, and danger. I love you, I thank you, and I praise your Holiness. All this I ask, if it be Thine will, in your son's name Jesus Christ, AMEN!

Good Morning and Blessed Day Family, Our Spiritual Vitamin for today is: P for PRAYING Mark 11:24 says, Whatsoever "things" you desire, when you pray, if you believe that you receive them, you shall have them. This procedure is a "thing", a wonderful, life saving "thing" that God our Father, has provided through giving the knowledge and technology to man to perform on those who are in the need of some serious help. We must know that His word will not go out full and come back to us empty if we trust and believe. He wants to give His children "good things" that will help our need for an abundance of quality life in the "here and now!" God knows we need good health, even if we are mostly the reason why our health isn't where it should be. He will bless us with good health, so that we can continue to shine for Him in a glorious way in all that we do! The scripture above says we must go to Him in prayer for our need on all "things" and believe that if it is His will, we will receive what we ask. So no matter what "thing" we need, whether it be big or small, please don't hesitate to go to a quiet place, and with a repentive heart, ask your Father and believe without doubt, you will have it blessed upon you. To those of us who are spiritual and striving daily to be more Christlike, pray continually for one another that we may all be successful on our individual journeys. Godspeed to my sleeve family :wub: