CaliKat

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!!

That's funny we said the same thing at same time with totally diff. words.

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!!

I keep pinching myself because I can hardly believe it myself!! It's been ages since I've seen the 100s on the scale and today...IT WAS THERE!!! I am 9 months out and wish I knew last year at this time how rewarding this journey would be! I seriously thought that I would be the one person that VSG would fail on. And now? More energy than I know what to do with!!
Thanks for letting me share!!

-63 lbs

Shrimp & Avocado Salad:
1/4c NF Greek Yogurt
1 Avocado- diced
1-2c baby pre-cooked shrimp
1T taco seasoning
2 Tomatoes- diced
juice of 1 lime
S/P to taste

Mix yogurt and taco seasoning in large bowl. Add diced tomatoes, avocado and shrimp. Add lime juice and S/P to taste.
Makes a kick ass lunch w/ plenty of leftovers- Im not low-carbing so I eat these on 2-3 slices of Melba toast and am soooooo satisfied!

Miso Soup from a local Japaneese place- strain it... its a nice change of pace. I lived on Campbells vegetable beef soup the first two weeks- just strained it and gave the veggies/beef to BF. Also try beef consume or french onion soup strained.... super good change of pace.
I dont know if I would worry too much about carbs/sodium now.... the first two weeks are all about keeping hydrated and sticking to the clears/liquids.
Im 3 months out and still cant stand the thought of having chicken soup or beef broth. I had enough broth for my whole damn life!

I finally did it! I hit the onderland. I have not been under 200 in over 13 years. You should have seen me I had just gotten out of the shower (o.k. well maybe you don't want to see that, lol) and decided what the yeck it's been a couple of days let's weigh and see what it says. I was actually shocked and just stood there. When it finally registered that the scale wasn't broke and not going to move anymore I started crying I was so happy. I got dressed and ran outside to find my husband and it was so funny as soon as he saw me he said "you made it under the 200 mark didn't you" He knows me so well...
Anyways, I wanted to share my story and to thank everyone on here for all the support and advise I have received over the past Year. I think I signed up about 6 months before my surgery and was on here everyday it is great to know you are not the only one out there with gas, your hair falling out and all the loose skin but I would not change it for the world. I feel better than I have in years and I know I've added years to my life with this change.
Thanks again - Everyone

I used to have glorious perky DDD's.
Now they are like a baseball in a tube sock.
Get used to buying new bras and shelling out a pretty penny.
If youre so inclined... start saving for plastics too!

Yes, you overdid it. But its not the end of the world.
I have found the best coping mechanism in the world is HAVE A PLAN.
With a plan......
1. You wouldnt have arrived hungry and overate stuff should shouldnt have.
2. You would have had a friend, husband, etc make you a plate of WLS friendly food so you wouldnt have been tempted.
3. You would have realized that IF you did overdo it (just a bit) its not the end of the world and you can counteract it with a bit of working out- instead of Peanut Butter with a heaping serving of guilt.
Pre-op its kind of like having a car wreck going 100MPH- stuff gets out of control fast.
Post-op its a small fender bender going 10MPH- your misteps are easier to correct.
Bottom line is you have got to have a plan.

I had my surgery on July 13, 2010 and it truly was one of the best decisions I have ever made. It was not an easy one for me to make. I was a widowed dad of three young kids - ages 15, 10 and 9 at the time - and I was really worried about the risks of having the surgery. Ultimately, I came to realize that the staying fat was a far greater risk to my health and put my kids at a much greater risk of being orphaned. IN the end, I did it for them as much as I did it for myself.
Today, two years later, I have lost 120 pounds and have maintained that weight loss pretty consistently (I fluctuate within a 2-3 pound range).
In the past two years, I have gone from:
a size 54 suit to a 44 regular
18 1/2 or 19 inch neck to a 16
XXL Shirt to a M
Size 44 pants to a 34.
I no longer need mediciation for high blood pressure or high cholesterol and I no longer need my c-pap machine for sleep apnea. My back and knee pain have also all but vanished.
Most importantly, I am engaged to a wonderful woman and we plan to get married next summer. I met her just a few months after my surgery and she has been very supportive.
So, I am here to tell all of you who are considering this surgery to do your homework, find a practice where you feel supported and comfortable, but do not be afraid to go for it. If your experience is anything like mine, you will never regret it.
All the best to you,
Brian

To all those who think that success is only measured in pounds, I'm here to tell you you're wrong. If you're not taking measurements and you're just going by what the scale says (it lies BTW) you're only doing a disservice to yourself...
My starting measurements as of 1/1/12:
Weight - 278
Pants - 24/26
Tops - 2x - 3x
Neck - 14.5"
Chest - 47"
Arm - 16.5"
Waist - 42"
Hip - 55.5"
Calf - 20"
My measurements 5 1/2 months post-op as of today:
Weight - 196
Pants - 14/16
Top - L/XL
Neck - 13.5"
Chest - 40"
Arm - 14"
Waist - 37.5"
Hip - 47"
Calf - 18"
Don't sabotage your success by only looking at the scale - measure your success in whatever way you can! By my count I can Celebrate 9 successes instead of just one, and I dunno about you but when it comes to celebrating, more is better

I live in Cali.... It's taqueria central and at 5 weeks I ordered ONE carne asada taco. (this made me giggle cause I used to order 5!) I was cleared by my NUT to have beef.
I opened it up and tried to eat just a small bite of meat and NOPE.... Wasn't happening. I had a small bite of meat and it just felt kinda wrong in my belly.... Kind of like a ball rolling around.
I tried again 2 weeks later and it was all good.
Moral of the story is to wait till cleared and proceed with caution!

Today is the my first day back to work in the office since being sleeved two weeks ago and everyone says I look great and everything, but what one of the senior managers (the CTO actually) that I work with on a daily basis just said made the day perfect.
He told me that he walked by earlier while I was talking to another co-worker and then walked by again, thinking to himself, "Who is this guy? New hire?" and after a third pass he stopped and walked up and finally recognized me! Not too bad of a Monday for me.

10 lbs.
You can do this.
You have a WHOLE MONTH.
Start NOW. Today. Make a PLAN.

Find something that motivates you. Pictures, new workout clothes, a workout buddy, etc.


Browse online for some low-fat, low-carb, low-cal recepies and get to cooking. Make planning your meals a fun activity. Stick to lean Proteins and leafy greens.


Incorporate Protein shakes into your life- postop they are your lifeline. Find one that works for you and start subsituting one meal a day with them.


Keep a food journal and join My Fitness Pal and make online friends as well as real life friends that know about your goal. Support from others can = accountability from you.

Never forget WHY you are loosing 10lbs. To save your life, enhance the quality of your life, etc.

You CAN do this.

10 lbs.
You can do this.
You have a WHOLE MONTH.
Start NOW. Today. Make a PLAN.

Find something that motivates you. Pictures, new workout clothes, a workout buddy, etc.


Browse online for some low-fat, low-carb, low-cal recepies and get to cooking. Make planning your meals a fun activity. Stick to lean Proteins and leafy greens.


Incorporate Protein shakes into your life- postop they are your lifeline. Find one that works for you and start subsituting one meal a day with them.


Keep a food journal and join My Fitness Pal and make online friends as well as real life friends that know about your goal. Support from others can = accountability from you.

Never forget WHY you are loosing 10lbs. To save your life, enhance the quality of your life, etc.

You CAN do this.

10 lbs.
You can do this.
You have a WHOLE MONTH.
Start NOW. Today. Make a PLAN.

Find something that motivates you. Pictures, new workout clothes, a workout buddy, etc.


Browse online for some low-fat, low-carb, low-cal recepies and get to cooking. Make planning your meals a fun activity. Stick to lean Proteins and leafy greens.


Incorporate Protein shakes into your life- postop they are your lifeline. Find one that works for you and start subsituting one meal a day with them.


Keep a food journal and join My Fitness Pal and make online friends as well as real life friends that know about your goal. Support from others can = accountability from you.

Never forget WHY you are loosing 10lbs. To save your life, enhance the quality of your life, etc.

You CAN do this.

I LOVE MY SLEEVE! Tonight I completed a 5K in 39 minutes! This is a major accomplishment for me. Before being sleeved it hurt to walk across campus at my school. This evening I ran a good 2.5 miles without walking or stopping AND I was chatting. My pace wasn't anything to brag about, but I DID IT! I have lost 62 pounds and I have quite more to go, but my body is capable of so much more than I ever believed. I registered for two 5Ks and I plan on running the tinkerbell half marathon in January. I can't believe that these events are even possible. Thank you to those who have offered guidance and answered my questions recently. My sleeve and the VST community are awesome.
I'm in week two of a stall and that has gotten me down, but HOLY COW I did an awesome job this evening!

The old adage that "time heals all wounds" rings true here.
Give it time and you will be back to coffee w/ cremer and even a few fries. Most sleevers find that a few months post-op or in maintenance, they can indulge in whatever they like- in reduced quantities of course.
Sounds like you are venting, still in mushies and such. I totally understand. When you are cleared for "normal" foods, things will slowly return to a new normal and then you can start venturing outside the realm of Protein shakes and pureeds.
Hang tight and follow your post-op.... You will be eating some normal things in no time.

Im gonna be a bad example and say this:
I eat whatever the hell I want, when I want and however much I want.
Heres the kicker..... since surgery, I only want a tiny bit!!!!
I order a cheeseburger- eat 2 bites (bun, pickle, onions included) and im done. I get green curry and fresh rolls and 1/2 a freshroll & 2 tablespoons of curry later im full! I bought a Butterfinger and only ate 1/4 of it in a week!
My advice to the pre-op's is not to go all "hog wild" on the "food funerals" and eat yourself sick in the months, weeks or days leading up to your surgery. Cause in a few weeks- you can eat those foods again and enjoy them just as you did before (unless your tastes change).
Be dedicated to your pre-op diet, make absolutely no deviations from your post-op diet and when you are cleared for normal foods and are meeting your excercise, Protein and Water goals..... have the "forbidden foods" and love the hell out of each bite (cause with your new stomach, you wont have many!)!!

The old adage that "time heals all wounds" rings true here.
Give it time and you will be back to coffee w/ cremer and even a few fries. Most sleevers find that a few months post-op or in maintenance, they can indulge in whatever they like- in reduced quantities of course.
Sounds like you are venting, still in mushies and such. I totally understand. When you are cleared for "normal" foods, things will slowly return to a new normal and then you can start venturing outside the realm of Protein shakes and pureeds.
Hang tight and follow your post-op.... You will be eating some normal things in no time.

I weigh every day.
Why?
Its like a small victory to start the day- its like an "atta girl" every single morning... like a daily inspiration to keep going. Its the reminder that I CAN DO ANYTHING if I have the tools and put my mind to it. Who wouldnt want that?
I have a post-it above my scale of my heaviest weight and I look at that darn number every day before I step on the scale and after and am so proud of how far I have come.
Whatever works for you- work it. Your sleeve & journey is YOURS.
Keep on keepin on- losers!

I'm at goal and maintaining. I weigh every morning. I don't stress about a pound or two, but I'm usually 136 or 137. If I ever hit 140, it's back to Protein only and more time at the gym.
I got fat by not weighing myself and I'm not going down that road ever again.

I weigh every day.
Why?
Its like a small victory to start the day- its like an "atta girl" every single morning... like a daily inspiration to keep going. Its the reminder that I CAN DO ANYTHING if I have the tools and put my mind to it. Who wouldnt want that?
I have a post-it above my scale of my heaviest weight and I look at that darn number every day before I step on the scale and after and am so proud of how far I have come.
Whatever works for you- work it. Your sleeve & journey is YOURS.
Keep on keepin on- losers!