xavtay2

I feel alive again. June 7, 2012 Dr Almanza changed my life. 230 pounds the day of surgery and today 155. 25 more pounds to go.

I will be three months out tomorrow and I can honestly say my life is about the same, only better! I eat out with my friends at least once a week. I have had chicken breast (leftovers for the next two meals), In & Out cheeseburger in a lettuce leaf, 1/2 a piece of thin-crust pizza (didn't eat the crust :-( my fav) and even a couple bites of a friends pancake at Breakfast Thanksgiving weekend. I had a scrambled egg but her pancake looked too good to resist. Thanksgiving, I had turkey, a couple bites of mashed potatoes, and a bite of my mom's homemade roll. Later I had two small bites of a cupcake.
I don't feel deprived. I choose not to eat chocolate/candy because I know it is a weakness for me. Obviously I like carby foods, so when I cheat, that's where I go, but am happy just having a taste of it. That's all I need. I actually feel better now that I'm eating cleaner. I don't have headaches or sugar withdrawls. I like eating a scrambled egg for Breakfast now when I used to eat a poptart washed down with mountain dew.
I have no regrets as all. The first month wasn't nearly as bad as I expected and now I don't think wbout food much at all. I sometimes forget to eat. And I ate at Mcdonalds or In & out almost every day before. I hope everything goes as easy for you.

I had surgery March 21 of this year, Easter was hard, I was still on purees, I had egg salad and mashed potatoes. Thanksgiving was much better, I enjoyed turkey, a bite of a deviled egg, and I made sweet potato casserole with splenda and sugar free brown sugar. I also made pumpkin pie with splenda and had a small sliver. It was the first thanksgiving I remember eating just till i was full, not till i felt like i was gonna pop. I was ready to get up and moving, playing cards or games right after dinner, everyone else was tires sleepy and stuffed. So I still got to enjoy all my favorites and never felt deprived.

Ok, here goes & I'm a very open, honest person.... Pre op diet I was on (liquids) & post-op diet I was on (liquids 1st week), pretty much sucked, weeks 2-4 soft, mushy foods wasn't too bad but took some getting used to (i have an issue with textures). Then, once I reached 6 weeks, I was cleared for foods & alcohol (but in moderation) it was GREAT! I am now 3 mos out, 41 lbs lighter & life is good. I feel awesome & have not been happier with my WLS decision. We all go thru different emotions approaching our surgery date but I'm sure you will be happy with your decision as well. Best wishes for a happier, healthier future!!!!

I weight about every three weeks, body weight can fluctuate day to day for so many reasons. I put the scale in my closet and I just know I am loosing cause we eat so little and clothes are how I track it. I find something too tight in my closet and then I try it on every week til it fits.
I also hear our bodies get use to the exercise we are doing so we have to switch it up. Do you like Water aerobics, I LOVE IT and we all do it at our own pace.
If my scale says something sucky I can be in a bad mood most of the day, that's why I have to stay off it.

Weird one: I was in the movie theater sitting next to my tall & very fit 28 yr old son and my knees were smaller than his!!! Awesome!!!! I've got bony knees!!!

WARNING this is graphic!! it feels like there is something caught in your throat for up to an hour. It happened to me about half a dozen times. It has not happened for a year luckily. It happened to me when I had beef Jerky, beef roast and chicken-- didn't chew well enough. Your body produces this mucous- clear and dense. Its your body's effort to lubricate the food down (or up)- but your tiny tummy can't take it and you'll up chuck a few giant mucous balls. lol ( reminds me of a small jelly fish)

I have started to get a bunch of compliments on my weight loss and I thought I would share my before/after pictures. Ive lost almost 63lbs and I am down 4 sizes. Thanks everyione for their support... This has surely been an adventure and I am so happy I made the choice to have the sleeve surgery!
Pre op-355.6
Current- 293.4
Surgery Date- 9/20
before-after.pdf

Omg is right you are doing awesome! Congrats and it is a blessing that you have not had any problems

Don't worry- in a few months you will be able to sit w your friends and enjoy them. You will eat less, but by then you will have learned how to eat for you and how to make it look like you are eating more than you are. Nobody noticed that I had no turkey, and tiny bites of other items. Nobody.
And that b-fast/dinner table will soon become more about love & family than food to you. It's ok to feel like you do, but don't dwell on it for too long. This is the start of lots of good things in your life!!!
Next time, suggest a b-fast party at ihop so you don't have to cook!!! :-)
Hugs!!

My REALLY clothes don't fit anymore!!! I am down to size 14, the last size in my closet. I really didn't believe I wore that size and put on size 18. My 28 yr old son, who was going w me to go see 'Lincoln' suggested I change my clothes because my baggy clothes made me look frumpy and I should be showing off my weight loss!! I kissed him!

PUT THE scale AWAY!!! It is not healthy to weigh yourself everyday! Stressing about not changing your weight in 4 days is going to lead you down a path of destruction. 4 days is not a stall, it's a normal daily fluctuation in weight.

Welcome to the week 3 stall! The good news? It goes away. The bad news is that it can take a couple weeks to do so. Just stick to your diet, exercise as much as you can, and focus on being healthy.

At about three weeks after surgery I stalled for a month. Now, it's been six and a half months and I'm down 98 lbs. from 255 to 157 and still losing steadily. Any other 30 day period since surgery the least I have lost is 10 lbs. Give it time, understand that the stall may stick around for a while, be grateful if it doesn't - and no matter what, remember that it is not an indication of your future success!

I didn't take any photos on my day of surgery or since then to mark progress, but here is one of me a little over two years ago and one from a couple weeks ago

Started at 242. Had my surgery 8/21/12, I'm 202 today. I feel great.

UPDATE:
i weighed myself today (11.30.12)
& im now 144lbs.
down 1lb.
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hey guys!
im officially 24 days away from hitting my one year surgiversary and i cant believe it! i was sleeved dec 20th, 2011.
im 5'1.
i started at:
weight: 273lbs
bmi: 51.6
jean size: 18-24 (depending on stretch)
i am now at:
weight: 145lbs
bmi: 27.4
jean size: 2-4 (depending on stretch)
lost: 128lbs.
my goal is to be 135lbs.

I had surgery 8/27/12. I am officially down 43 lbs. I have never felt better; physically or mentally. Life is wonderful. Onward and downward!!

One week before surgery


40 days post op and down 27lbs.

3 months post op and down 43 lbs
3 months post op down 43 lbs.

Surgery on the 25 th of jun

New pic today on nov the 25 th

First pics are from the night before surgery 3/12/12 and the middle pics are from August I believe, and the 3rd pics are from last week. 260lbs-182 lbs so far!

Got dressed for the hall today and wore a garment I use to wear as a shirt ... As a knee length dress today!! Lol wow!!

This morning I realized that I am so dang close to being just overweight and not obese. My BMI stands at 30.7. I don't know why, but this has become a real thing for me, to move out of obesity - I just hate that word!!!! I still want to lose 25 ish pounds but am feeling pretty good these days.
I have lost nearly 125# and am going to hit 130# lost by the end of the year. In all honesty, looking back, I think I could have even lost more in this time window, but I am content and satisfied with my progress. I took about 2 months "off" in the summer... I was sorta reaching burnout on some things. I didn't go wild, ate small portions and was still losing, but I lose better when I have that laser like focus! I lose better when I really watch the carbs - I started with 150 to lose and I feel that if I had stayed low carb more consistently I would probably be looking at being very near goal by now. I am not saying that as a regret, rather just my opinion that might be informative for the preop crowd!
I also notice that exercise makes a difference. I am not convinced it is just the calories burned during the exercise, but rather that it kicks your metabolism up a notch. My routine has evolved over time..... but I am currently doing shorter duration, higher intensity work outs and that helped shake me out of a stall.
Oh, what else... I am thrilled, excited, pleased as punch with results but struggle at times with dismorphia - seeing myself as still hugely fat when I really am pretty normal looking for a woman my age! I think that just takes more time.
I took this self portrait this last weekend - hard to get a body shot that way.
I also attached the dreaded before picture to give you an idea of what 125# lost looks like!!!

I am so loving the clothes I am wearing, the body I'm walking around in the positive comments. Believe me if you're new at this mourning food it's t totally worth it!

I'm a very busy mommy who works 50-60 hours a week. Of course I know I've lost weight but honestly I had no idea how heavy I was before or how much I lost until I just decided to do this side by side. I don't own a scale so not sure how much I weigh right now but I was down around 50 lbs last time I checked a couple weeks ago. WOWZERS I just thank God Almighty for finding a way for me to have this surgery. So THANKFUL! Made me cry looking at myself before...that picture was taken at my sisters graduation in May 2012, had my surgery August 2012, and the after photo was taken a couple days ago November 2012.

I feel sooooo good from a 22 to a 14 from a 2xl to a L yay me