Piplula

Wow u look amazing Truly inspiring!

Very inspirational results! Thank you for sharing

You look awesome! Great job!

Thanks so much for sharing, congratulations!

You look amazing...congratulations! I like how your cat wanted to take advantage of the photo opp, btw.

Awesome transformation! You look Great

Thanks everyone! I still have more of my journey to go, but I have to inspire someone to take that leap of faith. It worked for me!

Alright here is my secret to success! Exercise, follow the meal plan, stay away from breads and sweets as much as I can because my body loves to hold into carbs, and I treat the sleeve with the respect it deserves because it is giving me back my life. Everyone is different on how we process nutrients so here's what helps me stay fit and healthy. Your dr may have different recommendations, so find what works for you! My dr recommended 50-60grams of Protein a day. I normally stick to that. Sometimes, I will go into the 70-80 g per day range and if it is seafood, I can easily hit 100g per day. I do chose chicken and fish most days only because with pork and beef, I have a harder time getting in what I need before I feel full. Nothing is fried ..I prefer roasted, baked, broiled, or grilled meats...reason why is I slime and then promptly vomit when I eat fried meats...or it takes my hours to eat small bites here and there and to me...that's just too much work and not worth the effort. I eat fruit and veggies everyday...without fail. Now I will indulgent in an occasional piece of chocolate, cake, bread, ect. But I find when I do, I 1) don't feel as well, 2) can't eat healthier foods because all that other stuff took up my space. Honestly, eating healthier has become such a habit that I actually will crave those foods and I don't miss too many of the old foods. I still drink a Protein shake daily to help with Protein intake, but I now mainly get my protein from foods. Now realize I am a year out and Protein shakes where the way I got my protein in for a long time. I also had lactose intolerance immediately after surgery so any milk or dairy was off the radar for 6 months. I lived on Soy milk and unjury Protein powder. Eventually my tiny tummy decided to start making lactase again so now I enjoy EAS Carb Advantage shakes, milk, cheese without worry of horrible diarrhea. So for those of you wondering when the diarrhea will stop...check to make sure you aren't lactose intolerant. And now...constipation is on board...so that's a whole other discussion.
Now onto exercise. I had a trainer in the beginning and it helped, but you don't need a fancy gym to become physically active. Walking is one of the best forms of exercise to do in the beginning. I walked but my favorite was yoga. I found a peace with yoga and my trainer informed me that yoga only burns 10% less than aerobics. And then proceeded to ask me do you ever see a yoga instructor that isn't fit? So, for the first 6 months...I strictly did yoga with the occasional treadmill and weight routine. Rodney Yee was my best friend and still is. Then once I got enough weight off to be able to run, I started the couch to 5 K app but due to incorrect form( thanks to a very special bud on here for correcting my form..you know who you are..many thanks to you!!) I injured my hip..so I am getting ready to start that back now that I have healed. So in the mean time, I got into Leslie Sansone's Walk Fit...love it. I exercise 5 days a week religiously...it's important for the success of your sleeve. Yes I have hanging skin...but I'd rather have sagging skin and less hair than diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. And I can always get plastic surgery.
Now onto fluids, I drink the majority of my fluids as Water. I do indulge in a glass of sweet tea here and there. I do not partake in carbonated drinks or artificial sweeteners. It's not that I have anything against these..it's just my preference. I do get some artificial sweetener in my Protein Shake ...so like I said I am not against it...it's just a personal preference. I also do not partake in alcohol. Again...I not opposed to alcohol, I just prefer not to drink it. I drank maybe 4 cocktails a year prior to surgery so for me that wasn't much of a stretch to stop. I could take it or leave it. Same thing with carbonated beverages. I grew up with tea and Water ...soda was a treat ..so that wasn't a stretch. Now I will mention one more thing before I end this...I drink from a straw. I get more fluids in. I asked my Dr and Nutritionist what the scientific basis of not using a straw was and they said there isn't any...it's just a recommendation. Ask your provider for studies showing that straws are detrimental to the sleeve...it's not there. So, if you get less air from a straw..I say use it. I gulp too much air without it. If you have anymore questions...please feel free to contact me! I will try to answer your questions to the best of my ability, but remember your surgery team is your best bet! Good luck everyone! You can do it!

So hello VST peeps! Today is the day! I can honestly say the sleeve gave me my life back. It's been a heck of a journey. I am not at my ultimate goal of 200# down, but so far I have lost 145#...so just a few more steps and I will get there. I also encourage everyone to take measurements from beginning to end because I am happy to report I have lost a total of 48.5 inches from all over my body...wild huh? I wanted to share a pictorial journey with you . So here we go!
Me 12 hours before surgery



Me 6 months post op



Me at 9 months out



And me today right before my workout




So that's my story ..it's still a work in progress but with hard work, dedication, and diligence, it's becoming, finally, a reality!

So hello VST peeps! Today is the day! I can honestly say the sleeve gave me my life back. It's been a heck of a journey. I am not at my ultimate goal of 200# down, but so far I have lost 145#...so just a few more steps and I will get there. I also encourage everyone to take measurements from beginning to end because I am happy to report I have lost a total of 48.5 inches from all over my body...wild huh? I wanted to share a pictorial journey with you . So here we go!
Me 12 hours before surgery



Me 6 months post op



Me at 9 months out



And me today right before my workout




So that's my story ..it's still a work in progress but with hard work, dedication, and diligence, it's becoming, finally, a reality!

Great job! you look wonderful!

Thank you for sharing. You are doing an awesome job. Very inspiring!

Thank you for posting the pics! You look AMAZING, BEAUTIFUL, and SO HAPPY and HEALTHY! Love your kitty too! Thank you also for sharing you diet and exercise info. I need to find me a yoga class! I'm struggling with getting in the exercise, partly a schedule issue and partly I just don't wanna! LOL! Guess I'm lazy by nature. I do enjoy walking and biking and have a gym membership but have trouble getting consistent in my work-out efforts. I have a lot of arthritis and that can hold me back too. I'm only 6 weeks post-op and my weight loss has already slowed down to a crawl, just 1 lb a week. If I hadn't been sleeved I be OK with that but now I want it to go faster! Of course I know I need to work at this a little harder than I have been, especially with getting more exercise. Your journey has really helped to inspire me! Blessings to you!
Sent from my iPhone using VST

So hello VST peeps! Today is the day! I can honestly say the sleeve gave me my life back. It's been a heck of a journey. I am not at my ultimate goal of 200# down, but so far I have lost 145#...so just a few more steps and I will get there. I also encourage everyone to take measurements from beginning to end because I am happy to report I have lost a total of 48.5 inches from all over my body...wild huh? I wanted to share a pictorial journey with you . So here we go!
Me 12 hours before surgery



Me 6 months post op



Me at 9 months out



And me today right before my workout




So that's my story ..it's still a work in progress but with hard work, dedication, and diligence, it's becoming, finally, a reality!

So Amazing. You look Great. Woohoo!

Hey Piplula! A year already......isn't it amazing? It's gone by slowly and quickly, all at the same time. And look how far you've come! An inspiration, a motivator, a success story. Did you think you'd be these things when you started your journey a year ago?
Fantastic job, and I KNOW you will get to the point you want (though in so many ways, I think you're "already there"!).
You were sleeved about 6 weeks before I was, and of course I was closely reading the boards and trying to understand what my own road was going to look like. Your posts, your honesty, and sharing your ups and downs made a big difference for me. Thank you!
Like you, I'm "still a work in progress". I have a month to my "surgiversary", and if I'm really lucky, I'll hit the same mark you did (145 lbs down). Currently I'm 134 down and feeling great! Another 50 lbs to go, and it may take 8 months more, but there's no rush.
As much as our bodies have changed, the real transformation is in our psyche and in our confidence and approach to life (at least for me, that's true...). I feel more prepared to take on anything now, and I know that with determination and perseverance, I can do it!

You have a great butt!!

You look amazing!

Amazing & so inspiring!

Great job!!!

So hello VST peeps! Today is the day! I can honestly say the sleeve gave me my life back. It's been a heck of a journey. I am not at my ultimate goal of 200# down, but so far I have lost 145#...so just a few more steps and I will get there. I also encourage everyone to take measurements from beginning to end because I am happy to report I have lost a total of 48.5 inches from all over my body...wild huh? I wanted to share a pictorial journey with you . So here we go!
Me 12 hours before surgery



Me 6 months post op



Me at 9 months out



And me today right before my workout




So that's my story ..it's still a work in progress but with hard work, dedication, and diligence, it's becoming, finally, a reality!

Many thanks for sharing your progress. Congratulations on your Anniversary! A very inspiring journey for those of us on the verge of our surgeries. Thank you!

Great job

Pipula!!!! Oh my goodness you foxy lady! Congrats you look amazing and are an inspiration to me. I am getting skeeved on the 22nd.

Inspiring!