CaliKat

Funniest- maybe not. Coolest... yes!!!
I got out of a speeding ticket cause my drivers lic pic was insanely different than what I look like now.
After I convinced him that yes.... it IS me- he asked what happened. I told him about the surgery and he was pretty curious about the process and in the end let me go with a warning (warning to keep away from carbs and keep up the cardio!)
Yay for awesome life changes and the perks that go with them!

Funniest- maybe not. Coolest... yes!!!
I got out of a speeding ticket cause my drivers lic pic was insanely different than what I look like now.
After I convinced him that yes.... it IS me- he asked what happened. I told him about the surgery and he was pretty curious about the process and in the end let me go with a warning (warning to keep away from carbs and keep up the cardio!)
Yay for awesome life changes and the perks that go with them!

I have been buying Starbuck's Tall Skinny iced lattes for several months at 3.25 per drink! Yesterday when I went to the Bariatric Advantage place to pick up some Vitamins, she gave me a sample bottle of a product they now sell called ProJoe. This is a bottled latte drink you refrigerate and pour over ice. I had the Magnifico Mocha, but on the product list she gave me, it looks like it also comes in a vanilla or chai. If you roder it from them, THERE IS NEVER ANY SHIPPING on it. Even if you order it with other products, the entire order has free shipping. The price is case of 12 for 35.95, which may sound high, but 12 of the Starbuck's drinks still come to $39.00. And adds 20g to my protein! The bottle is:
9.5 oz.
20g Protein
120 cal
5g carbs
0g fat
3,5g sugar
It was really good. I don't think it is available yet on their website, but you can order by phone at 800-898-6888. Like I said, there facility isn't far from me so i went there yesterday and set up and account and got all my vitamins. They are very nice too. YAY!

Yup- this is me at Peets or Starbucks.
"Hi, can I get a short iced nonfat sugarfree vanilla latte extra ice"
then I have to repeat
and repeat again
and then appologize with a shameful smile to the barista about being a PITA!
All picky customer sins are erased with a nice fat dollar in their tip jar though!

So...I tried on jeans 2 weeks ago, and found that I was down from a size 26 to a size 22. I had a couple old pairs of size 24's, so I decided to order some size 20's, and just wear the baggy 24's until I could get into the new 20's.
Well....those new 20's arrived today....AND THEY FIT!!! I don't just mean I could manage to get them zipped...I mean I could breathe and sit in them!! They look amazing! Its been more than 15 years since I could fit into a pair of size 20 pants...and, so help me G-d, I will NEVER see anything larger EVER AGAIN!!!
WOOHOO!!

Yup- this is me at Peets or Starbucks.
"Hi, can I get a short iced nonfat sugarfree vanilla latte extra ice"
then I have to repeat
and repeat again
and then appologize with a shameful smile to the barista about being a PITA!
All picky customer sins are erased with a nice fat dollar in their tip jar though!

Yup- this is me at Peets or Starbucks.
"Hi, can I get a short iced nonfat sugarfree vanilla latte extra ice"
then I have to repeat
and repeat again
and then appologize with a shameful smile to the barista about being a PITA!
All picky customer sins are erased with a nice fat dollar in their tip jar though!

@Globetrotter-
from one bay area girl to another.....you look fantastic!
I doubt any of us have had perfect adherance to our perscribed post-op diets- all we can do is take it day-by-day and do the best we can.
I think its awesome that you can be honest with yourself and this community about your experiences and hope that some of the comments give you the insight/motivation/laughs to keep moving forward. This is a lifelong commitment and I cant imagine living in a world w/o a scoop of Ben & Jerrys once in a while!!
So have your sugar, carbs and cocktails (in moderation) and with a side of yoga or cardioblast and live the best damn life you can imagine!

We are own worst judges and critics and have spent years being judged by others. I have been yelled and called names while walking down the street. I know what I am doing right and wrong, and so does everyone else. I am not here to tell people that they are a bad person for eating something unhealthy. I am here to encourage them to make a better choice next time and not berate themselves. Shame and guilt is part of the reason so many of us have gotten to this point, that we were bad for eating ice cream, we should know better than to have a piece of chocolate, that we failed because we had a piece of cake. Someone might ask for help, they might ask for an opinion, but I really believe that no one asks to be judged.

Great job!! Youve done great and it sounds like your have nothing to worry about!
K

I ran into the same thing about 3 months.... munchee city! I always was hungry and kept eating once every 2 hours... it also felt like I could eat a lot too...I made sure that I was "grazing" on healthy Protein first items and getting all my liquids in. It helped not stall my loss (but it sure slowed down).
I dont know if it was a "brain change" or just me gettin with the program.... but about 5 months I am not hungry at all and just eat because I need to. I also upped the excercise and am once again seeing the scale slide down daily.
You can do this- stay the course and be a big ole looser!

i usually eat the same spicy tuna but when i get sick of it I make a bit of Tuna salad with greek yogurt, cheese, pickle relish and mustard.
I love the Wasa Rye crisps (11g carbs/slice) and can only do a single cracker piled high with tuna for a meal.... so for me the trade off's are worth it. I dont watch my carbs as much as I should, but I also eat the multigrain "everything" flavor bagel thins with tuna for a quick bite and it works just as good (20g carbs for 2 crisps)

i usually eat the same spicy tuna but when i get sick of it I make a bit of Tuna salad with greek yogurt, cheese, pickle relish and mustard.
I love the Wasa Rye crisps (11g carbs/slice) and can only do a single cracker piled high with tuna for a meal.... so for me the trade off's are worth it. I dont watch my carbs as much as I should, but I also eat the multigrain "everything" flavor bagel thins with tuna for a quick bite and it works just as good (20g carbs for 2 crisps)

I wish I would have started off right by not drinking & eating at the same time.
I am really having a hard time breaking the habit- wish I would have followed dr's orders from the get-go!!

If the bartenders give you crap about ordering a NA (non alcoholic) drink- just tell then you are a few weeks pregnant, smile sweetly and ask for your cranberry juice- I guarantee that will get you NA drinks w/o attitude!
Also- maybe take Water shots instead of real shots. I don't drink but no one has really noticed cause I always slip off and order my own "shot" right before the big toast so I have something to join in with or when they are tossing em back- dump it on the floor quick.
Maybe you even tell one of your friends and have her take all your drinks for you?

I can finally say i'm in the 100lbs club. Never in my dreams would I have imagined being this small. I went from 230 to 130lbs. I have been a little discouraged due too the fact that I hadn't lost any weight in the past four months. I went on vacation this weekend and when I got home I ran straight to the scale and it read 130lbs how awesome it feels to finally be in the century club. I don't really care if I don't lose another ound I'm content with where I am now. The strange thing that I have found while shopping it's hard to find a small top. lol never thought that would be a problem. Those on the fence get off and do it; it can only get better from here I will never be 230 again....And I'm cool with that.  

I hate to break this to you.... but all those "head" issues are still around post-op. .
I still occationaly find myself struggling with the "grazing" behavior- and although I cant sabatoge myself that much (I cant eat a whole slice of pizza let alone a whole damn thing!) I can easily spend the whole day "nibbling"- effectively cheating the sleeve.
If you struggle with head hunger or compulsive behaviors- do whatever it takes to overcome your mind... if not, you could be faced with an uphill battle.

Simple solution: Don't go to dinner for your date!
Or....
Go get late night appetizers at a nicer resturant so the food is sleeve-friendly and portions arent a big deal. Always check the menu before hand.
Or....
Eat family style
And as always...
Flirt and smile, use your best manners and always wear cute undies!

Simple solution: Don't go to dinner for your date!
Or....
Go get late night appetizers at a nicer resturant so the food is sleeve-friendly and portions arent a big deal. Always check the menu before hand.
Or....
Eat family style
And as always...
Flirt and smile, use your best manners and always wear cute undies!

I did smashed avos 2 weeks after surgery.
No spices- just smashed avocados and salt.
Sat fine in my belly

Good on you for putting yourself out there!!!
Can I put my two cents in here (as I am a professional matchmaker & dating coach)?
Girl..... You need to get out there and DATE!!! Meet men of all shapes and sizes, men of all interests and activities and have some fun with it! Its OK to get to know someone and not fall in love with them. Besides.... You need dating practice and isnt it better to test-drive men that you arent a bumbling drooling gaga girl over?
You dont owe one iota of explanation or shouldnt feel obligated if there is no attraction (you cant force chemistry) but you should be up front with the men by saying something to the effect of "im so glad we can be friends and perhaps we can help each other navigate the crazy world of dating."
Enjoy this time in your life, go getcha groove on and dont worry.... We all have to kiss a few frogs before we found our princes!!

Woo hoo. I FINALLY hit onederland. I can't believe it. 51lbs lost forever. I'm a crying, happy mess.

Good on you for putting yourself out there!!!
Can I put my two cents in here (as I am a professional matchmaker & dating coach)?
Girl..... You need to get out there and DATE!!! Meet men of all shapes and sizes, men of all interests and activities and have some fun with it! Its OK to get to know someone and not fall in love with them. Besides.... You need dating practice and isnt it better to test-drive men that you arent a bumbling drooling gaga girl over?
You dont owe one iota of explanation or shouldnt feel obligated if there is no attraction (you cant force chemistry) but you should be up front with the men by saying something to the effect of "im so glad we can be friends and perhaps we can help each other navigate the crazy world of dating."
Enjoy this time in your life, go getcha groove on and dont worry.... We all have to kiss a few frogs before we found our princes!!

Good on you for putting yourself out there!!!
Can I put my two cents in here (as I am a professional matchmaker & dating coach)?
Girl..... You need to get out there and DATE!!! Meet men of all shapes and sizes, men of all interests and activities and have some fun with it! Its OK to get to know someone and not fall in love with them. Besides.... You need dating practice and isnt it better to test-drive men that you arent a bumbling drooling gaga girl over?
You dont owe one iota of explanation or shouldnt feel obligated if there is no attraction (you cant force chemistry) but you should be up front with the men by saying something to the effect of "im so glad we can be friends and perhaps we can help each other navigate the crazy world of dating."
Enjoy this time in your life, go getcha groove on and dont worry.... We all have to kiss a few frogs before we found our princes!!

Good on you for putting yourself out there!!!
Can I put my two cents in here (as I am a professional matchmaker & dating coach)?
Girl..... You need to get out there and DATE!!! Meet men of all shapes and sizes, men of all interests and activities and have some fun with it! Its OK to get to know someone and not fall in love with them. Besides.... You need dating practice and isnt it better to test-drive men that you arent a bumbling drooling gaga girl over?
You dont owe one iota of explanation or shouldnt feel obligated if there is no attraction (you cant force chemistry) but you should be up front with the men by saying something to the effect of "im so glad we can be friends and perhaps we can help each other navigate the crazy world of dating."
Enjoy this time in your life, go getcha groove on and dont worry.... We all have to kiss a few frogs before we found our princes!!