BlessedBeyondMeasure2012

The word diet has DIE in it. This sleeve journey, for all of us, has to be lived. It has to be a lifestyle change with new habits. You have to LIVE-IT every day. A diet is temporary and is miserable (at least all of them I have ever been on have been). This new live-it as I am calling it is for good, for the rest of my life. Its for a better me. It's for a better life. It's not miserable at all. I love my sleeve. I still have a long way to go but the only way I am going to get there is by living it, not by dieting. Here's to this live-it!

I started at a size 26/28 and this weekend I picked up a pair of size 20 jeans that I bought right after surgery at a resale store. I held them up and I thought there was no way they would come even half way up my thighs. BUT they did! I wore them around all day on Sunday just because I could The other night my husband and I were laying in bed fixing to go to sleep. He had his hand on my side and sald all of a sudden, "Hey! You know what? You have ribs!" In the entire time we have been together he has never been able to feel my ribs! I told him yep, and I have hip bones too lol!

So my signature was getting too long for all the info in it so I'm just going to put it in a blog and I will update it as needed. I'm not using my highest weight as my starting weight because my highest weight was actually the day I went in the hospital to deliver our daughter. My starting weight is my highest weight less her birth weight. 2/23/13 Highest weight 342.2 (332.4 not counting baby girl's birth weight) 3/12/13 Start of preop diet 309.7 (-22.7) 3/25/13 Surgery day 297.7 (-12) Total lost before surgery 34.7 4/1/13 1 week post op 286.6 (-10.9) 4/8/13 2 weeks post op 281.5 (-5.1) 4/15/13 3 weeks post op 281.4 (-0.1) 4/22/13 4 weeks post op 279.8 (-1.6) Lost in the first 4 weeks 17.7, since starting preop diet 29.7 4/29/13 5 weeks post op 273.0 (-6.8) 5/6/13 6 weeks post op 269.2 (-3.8) 5/14/13 7 weeks post op 270.6 (+1.4) 5/20/13 8 weeks post op 264.7 (-5.9) Lost in the 2nd 4 weeks 15.1, since surgery 32.8, since starting preop diet 44.8 5/27/13 9 weeks post op 260.7 (-4) 6/3/13 10 weeks post op 257.7 (-3) 6/10/13 11 weeks post op 255.3 (-2.4) 6/17/13 12 weeks post op 248.7 (-6.6) Lost in the 3rd 4 weeks 16, since surgery 48.8, since starting preop diet 64.8 6/24/13 13 weeks post op (3 months out tomorrow) post op 247.3 (-1.5) 7/1/13 14 weeks post op 243.1 (-4.2) 7/8/13 15 weeks post op 241.4 (-1.7) 7/15/13 16 weeks post op 238 (-3.4) Lost in the 4th 4 weeks 10.8, since surgery 59.6, since starting preop 75.6 7/22/13 17 weeks post op 235.8 (-2.2) 7/29/13 18 weeks post op 237.7 (+1.9) 8/5/13 19 weeks post op 235.2 (-2.5) had my gall bladder removed this day 8/12/13 20 weeks post op 230.4 (-4.8) Lost in the 5th 4 weeks 7.6, since surgery 67.2, since starting preop 83.2 I hit 100 pounds total gone on 8/11/13!!! 8/19/13 21 weeks post op 226.9 (-3.5) 8/26/13 22 weeks post op 227.1 (+0.2) 9/2/13 23 weeks post op 223 (-4.1) 9/9/13 24 weeks post op 222.8 (-0.8) Lost in the 6th 4 weeks 7.6, since surgery 74.8, since starting preop 90.8 9/16/13 25 weeks post op 220.7 (-2.1) 9/23/13 26 weeks post op 219.1 (-1.6) 9/30/13 27 weeks post op 222 (+2.9) 10/7/13 28 weeks post op 217.3 (-4.1) Lost in the 7th 4 weeks 4.9, since surgery 79.7, since starting preop 95.7 10/14/13 29 weeks post op 217.8 (+0.5) 10/21/13 30 weeks post op 213.8 (-4.0) 10/28/13 31 weeks post op 212.4 (-1.4) 11/4/13 32 weeks post op 212.7 (+0.3) Lost in the 8th 4 weeks 5.1, since surgery 84.8, since starting preop 100.8 11/11/13 33 weeks post op 213.9 (+1.2) 11/18/13 34 weeks post op 210.2 (-3.7) 11/25/13 35 weeks post op 209.1 (-1.1) 12/2/13 36 weeks post op 207.4 (-1.7) Lost in the 9th 4 weeks 5.3, since surgery 90.1, since starting preop 106.1 12/9/13 37 weeks post op 204.2 (-3.2)

Several years ago I asked my dad what he wanted for Father's Day. He told me that he wanted me to lose 50 pounds. Now he wasn't mean about it or ugly in any way, he just wanted me to be healthy. I've dieted off and on since then but never lost as much as 50 pounds at one time or even anywhere close to Father's Day. This year for Father's Day I was able to tell him that I've lost just over 80 pounds since the end of February. He cried when I told him, then he laughed! He told me that my overall health was the most important thing to him first off, but #2 just how much plastic surgery was I going to need to keep me from flapping in the wind?!? LOL! That, Daddy, is yet to be determined!

He may think he has a whole new wife! You look great!

I started out in a 26/28 and I'm in a 20/22 now (honestly the 22's are too big but I haven't had the time to replace them) and I actually have a pair of 18's that I got on, buttoned and zipped yesterday. They are tight and I'm not fixing to wear them in public but I GOT THEM ON!!! I was telling my husband last night that even already it seems strange to look at my "new" clothes and at how much smaller they look. I seriously was only in a 22 for about 3 weeks and I've been in 20's for about a week and some of them are already getting baggy. I wore a pair of 20's on Monday that I pulled the tags off of on Monday. They had been hanging in my closet for a couple of years, I found them when on one of my previous diets for like $5 at Lane Bryant so I bought them knowing I'd "get into them one day". Anyway, I had a lady tell me on Monday, the day I wore them for the first time, that I needed to go shopping for some new pants cause those were too big. I very rarely buy anything that I can wear right now because I am going through it so quickly. I buy things a size or two too small if I find a SUPER good sale. I also shop at resale stores and Goodwill and, like you said, you can find some great stuff there. I know you are excited but trust me, the time will come when you are buying clothes way more often than you ever imagined! I have a HUGE bag of clothes to sell at the resale store tomorrow from before surgery and you will have one of those before you know it too!

At fast food resturants I tend to get grilled chicken sandwhiches and take the bun off or order it with no bun. At sit down places I get either grilled chicken or fish and a side of steamed veggies. Occasionally I'll get a sweet potato as a side and eat just a few bites after I have finished what of everything else I can eat. I don't do fried foods and I stay away from carb (except the occasional few bites of sweet potato) and bread.

When I went back for my two week post op I asked the NP if sex was okay. Her response was, "You mean you're not already?" I had just been to my OBGYN that same day for my 6 weeks post partum visit and was released from him. As far as the sleeve surgery went, I don't think I had any restrictions as far as sex goes, probably no sex swing though

YUCK! I love fish, lots of different kinds of fish but not so much this one. I can't seem to find a way to make it taste any other way other than fishy (I know it's fish but even different kinds of seasonings don't help this one!). Blah.

It's the dreaded 3 week stall. I had a stall at 10 days out that lasted for 2 1/2 weeks and I had another stall a few weeks after that. Since then some weeks I lose faster than others. It will come off, you just have to get adjusted. Stalls happen, it sucks, but they do. It seems like when the scale stalls for me, my clothes start getting looser and people start noticing my drop in weight. I dropped a pant size in my first stall, and have dropped two more since but both when the scale really had slowed down moving. Measure yourself and see your body changing in inches not just in the numbers on the scale.

Apparently you didn't get the memo that horizontal stripes are not supposed to be flattering cause that dress is SUPER CUTE!!! You look great!

I had a very small amount today for the first time (I'm 11 weeks out today). It didn't give me any trouble but it isn't something that I have often because of all the sugar and carbs. I try to stick mainly with super low carbs. I LOVE me some ketchup but I won't let myself give in and have any of that just yet either.

I really like True Lemon Lemonade. It is nice and tart too. I use all kind of water add ins and then Vitamin water, propel zero, powerade zero to get all my fluids in. I also count my morning cup of decaf coffee (with half and half and SF Torani syrup) as "liquids" too. If it is caffiene free, has no sugar and only a few calories in it my NUT told me it counts!

Thanks y'all! Hathery, I use this AMAZING stuff called LiLash on my lashes almost everyday. I started using it sometime mid February. I wasn't sure how much it was working and then all of a sudden BANG I had these crazy long eyelashes. They are real, growing straight out of my eye lids. And then I use "They're Real" mascara that makes it really obvious how long they are! I'm too cheap to pay for the eyelash extensions, not to mention I don't have time for all that mess, but this way works for me Thanks for noticing!

You can see in my signature how my weight loss has progressed. When I hit 3 months I will be posting actual comparison pics (I still don't see much of a physical difference when I look in the mirror but more and more people are starting to notice). I'm sure there is a difference, I started out in a 26-28 pant and today I am wearing COMFORTABLE size 20's. I got on the scale this morning and it had moved as well as being able to wear smaller britches so I figured I'd do so face shots for comparison and I felt like this was too good not to share on a Friday. I'm coming along, I have a long way to go, but getting there everyday and couldn't be doing it without my sleeve!

I got to start on soft foods (Mostly eggs, cheese and refried beans) when I was two weeks out. I gradually added more and more every two weeks. My doc has a slow advancement of foods. I still have instructions on when to add certain foods out to 12 weeks. Most people are released to eat a "normal" diet at 6 weeks post op. It all depends on your doc/NUT. What do they have to say?

Lol! Oh sure it is!

Dehydration can cause constipation for sure and can also contribute to kidney stones. You aren't getting enough fluids through your kidneys to flush the calcium oxilate out, or the other gunk that can cause the stones, so it builds up and then you get a stone (calcium oxilate are the most common type of stones). Drink, drink, drink! I got super constipated about two weeks after surgery and my NUT and NP told me not to take anything for it but just to drink more water. I was frustrated because I WAS drinking water, more than 70 oz a day PLUS other fluids and I was still stopped up. I got some Sennacot and Dulcolax suppositories and that got everything going again. Good luck!

My insurance required the same as cbd up there. I was in the same boat as you, no comorbidities just obesity. My BMI was 53.6 when I started to lose before my preop diet, now after losing for a month prior to my preop diet, the preop diet and 10 weeks since surgery, I'm down almost 75 pounds. If your BMI is over 50, you should be approved with no problems. I even heard back from my insurance company within just a couple of days.

I know it is going to sound silly but get someone to pat you on the back, like if they were burping a baby. I had my sleeve done 4 weeks after I had my daughter so we were pretty good at burping a baby, when I would get one of those gas pains I'd get my husband to pat me on the back and sometimes it would help, not always but sometimes. At that point I was willing to take whatever relief I could get any way I could get it!!

You look AMAZING!!!!

You may want to look at the things you are eating. I am 10 weeks out now and I feel like I eat more than most people do, and I am not eating 1000 cal per day. I get in 80-100+ gm of protein in most days and I eat really low carbs (I try to keep it between 20-30 gm per day but preferably closer to 20 gm). If you are able to get that many calories in but not all of your protein I'm going to guess that you are eating more carbs/fats than you need at this point. Keep working at it, it certainly is a learing process and I am still learing everyday. You are doing great though with your weight loss. I too had a stall but mine started at 10 days out and lasted 2 1/2 weeks. Talk about drive a girl crazy! I totally know how you feel, I felt the same way and I'm sure most of us here have had the same thoughts and feelings. If you are doing what you know you should keep that up but maybe try to change it up a little. I know that when my stall started it was about the time that I was on full liquids/soft foods. I was getting in way more carbs than protein. My doc wouldn't let me start on protein until after two weeks out. Anyway, when I was able to dramatically drop my carbs and really pick up my protein my stall broke. I have had once since then too and I think I'm probably starting another one now. The key is to keep chugging along. This will work. 21 pounds is a great loss, more than I lost in my first month and I have WAY more weight to lose than you do . One other thing, try not to weigh yourself everyday. (I really suck at this part, even in a stall I weigh everyday cause I want to know when it breaks). But I have figured out that when I get on the scale and don't see it moving even when I know I'm doing everything right, I get discouraged. If I can stay away from the scale and I know that I am doing what I am supposed to then in my mind I know it is working and that makes me feel really good. I hope it will you too. When I went through my first stall my body really changed a lot even though the scale didn't. I dropped a pant size almost overnight it seemed like. And people noticed more just all of a sudden. You should measure yourself every so often so you can see how much your measurements are changing even if the scale is being stubborn. Also look for NSV's to keep your spirits up. There is way more to this journey than just what the scale tells you. Keep your head up, you've got this. I'm sure your husband thinks you are one beautiful lady, and even though what he thinks of you is important, you need to BELIEVE you are beautiful even more! Sorry, I think I'm rambling...

It's called dumping. You had the classic symptoms of it. And yes, it was from the sugar. Dumping isn't as common with the sleeve as it is with bypass but it does happen and you my dear had it.

oooooooooo, I'm tellin!!! I chew gum, a lot. In fact, I think it may be my new transfer addiction. I have never been a gum swallower. I chew probably 3-5 pieces a day to give my mouth something to do without actually putting things into my stomach. I don't use a straw though ^^^

How soon did y'all have the first blood work to check for anemia and vitamins after sugery? I am just over two months out and from what I understand (I could understand wrong though) my surgeon doesn't do blood work for a year. Just wondering if at some point in this year I should have my primary provider do some blood work. I'm really curious as to how things look on the inside!