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When I started this journey I thought I knew everything that I needed to know and kinda knew what to expect when it comes to my progress. I started my journey on 9/19/12 at 262lb wearing a size 24pant and tops. I knew I was big and hated it but i still ate enough food to feed 4 people. Buffets were my best friends bc it was never ending. Since my surgery I am down to 182lbs and amazed on how little I eat. I know I am supposed to eat a small amount but to look at what I am eating and know that a few bites of this or that will make me full so I make sure I eat what is best for my body. I am literally eating a 10th of what I used to eating and honestly it feels good. I am starting to now feel smaller..I am far from being thin but I enjoy not being known as that fat girl anymore. I went shopping today and tried on some pants and I'm now a size 14. That is a big difference from the 24 that I started with. I don't even remember the last time I was a size 14. I honestly think I just went straight from a size 12 to an 18 bc when I first started to gain a lot of weight I was wearing sweatpants a lot. It's still mind blowing to me about this whole thing. I feel like I will continue to be amazed as I reach my goal weight. The sleeve was the best thing I have ever done and would do it again even with the issues I had in the beginning. I didn't know where to post this but just thought I would share some of my happiness.

It's cause for celebrating, as of my weight this morning, for the first time in 25 yrs, I'm not "officially" obese! I'm overweight!!! BMI is 29.9. I feel so giddy I could start dancing at work! I know its an arbitrary number, it doesn't really mean anything, and my weight will fluctuate and put me back in the obese category for a while. But today I will enjoy being overweight!

A few weeks ago I went on a little shopping spree at value village and bought a number of XL button shirts. It was not a large fortune, but more shopping than I have ever done at one time before. I honestly thought I would be able to wear these for a while. I tried one on yesterday and it was draping over me, like a tent. And another and another. They were all very large on me where they for nicely when I bought them less than a month ago. I know because I tried everyone on, one at a time in front of the dressing room mirror.
Sigh- I am going to have to donate these and go buy some large size button shirts (thrift store until my weight stabilizes). It is sort of a bittersweet realization, well, perhaps more like shock. A few of you may remember when I donated all my 2x, 3x clothes not too long ago. I filled 10-12 garbage bags full of button shirts, some 250+ button shirts, t-shirts and jeans). I think I shrunk a bit in the last few weeks from running all the time. It may be time to take a new picture for VST profile soon as the current one is a couple months old.
Also yesterday, my wife's cousin came to visit for the evening and told me i was very lean and looking really good. He was joking around and asked if i was eating any longer ( the answer of course is yes, 6 times a day, about 100-300 calories a meal). He is about the same age as I and is an ex marine, very muscular and lean (can you believe that comment coming from him?!?!). His wife did not recognize me at first and i just saw them 2 months ago. I have a twin brother who has always been the "skinny" one where i was the " fat one". In quotes because weights fluctuate, but those generalizations have held true for the last 20-25 years. Well, i now weigh 45-50 lbs less then him and work out almost every day. he lives with me while he is getting his life together (been with us for 3 years going to school, now finishing CNA training, looking for a job, and saving emergency money that he gets from government for his own place). I keep encouraging him to eat a little better and to join me in some exercise beyond walking the dog. he will when he is ready to and certainly understands he needs to as being overweight. She thought she was looking at my brother, but then got confused because i look a little different from him just due to different life experiences, hair styles, clothing choices etc. She also said i had fine bone structure because she was commenting on my new delicate cheek bones and jaw line that i now have. i was surprised as i always thought of myself as large boned being heavy most of my life. Others reading this probably also think they are large boned and can relate to this reaction. One of her daughter's said i had a body shape " similar to daddy's" ( the ex marine). It was both cute and did a lot to put a smile on my face.
I guess losing weight near goal weight (e.g last 25-30 lbs or so) makes more of a difference in the way clothes fit then losing weight at obese size (150 overweight). I am only 5 lbs away from my first goal of 185; i may try for 165 if it does not turn me into a skeleton.
I hope you all have similar stories like this (hopefully not as much pain in the wallet with regards to clothes though ). This time I am going to only buy a few shirts if for some reason I enter the medium size. I really doubt it though being 5'11 and building muscle with strength training.

Yeah. Tiny tiny part of me is frustrated that the addictive days of losing a pound a day are gone :-(. THEN I remember that I/we am/are down FIFTY FRIGGIN POUNDS in less than 4 months LOL. I wake up sometimes that it was all a dream. So I put it into perspective :-). Similarly, if I recall the past few January/new years, I do believe I wouldn't go NEAR a scale for fear of the obvious bad news. Soooo WE ROCK!!!

yeah i heard when the pounds arent coming off, the inches are. lost 8lbs last week after a 1 month stall. i love seeing a new number like the 220s instead of 230s :-)

UPDATE:
I know I posted on here before but since my 4 month post op day was January 14th I wanted to update and see how everyone else was doing!!!!
Surgery date 9/14: Weight 366
Today 1/18: Weight 279.8
Total Lost : 86.2
Pics attached Full body pics are me wearing the same jacket Day of surgery and last week!
Face shots, the one in the orange shirt was a week before surgery, the other pic was me last week
Everyone is doing great, I love this thread!!!

If I could consistently lose 2 pounds a week, I'd be so freaking happy! That's 8-10 pounds a month.....80-100 pounds in only 10 months!

After work yesterday I did my normal routine of going to the gym then home to cook dinner for my husband and I. There was a pair of pants that I bought a month ago that I have been dying to get into.. they are a size 16 and when I first had surgery I was in a 24! So feeling good after the gym I decided I am going to try them on... when I bought them I couldn't even get them up over my tummy... to my amazement they FIT... I could button and zip them with no issues!! I could not believe it. I have not worn this size since middle school and I am 29 years old now! This was the greatest feeling... in 4 months I have worked my way down to a size 16 pants... I just wish I could lose it in my top half more as I am still wearing a 22/24 up top. But that's ok because I know eventually it will happen, but 86 pounds later, much smaller pants and have never felt this great about myself!! Happy Thursday All :)

Lost 130 pounds
Height- 5'9
Pre op- 305
Right now- 170
Goal- 160
Age- 27
Wearing a size 10 pants and medium shirt
Weigh less then my husband
Wore high heels all night
I can wear sexy lingerie with out feeling like a pooped open biscuit can!
O yes all the cute cloths!
I can move around so much easier
No more pcos so when I'm ready to have a baby I won't worry about not getting pregant!
Getting my social life back
Feeling pretty again
Sex is so much more fun now that I can get in different positions ????
I'm sure there are tons more just can't think of them right now! I'm so glad I did this for myself best thing I have ever done!
Feel free to share your wonderful nsvs!!!

I took some pictures today for my 5-month surgiversary. When I looked at them, I saw every, single pound that I still need to lose (about 40). It was very discouraging.
Then I looked at the pictures I took 6 weeks pre-op and I saw all the pounds I've already lost.
I'm so glad I took these early pictures. I'm sure I'll be happy in a few months I took the ones today.
  

Well, it's been a year today since my surgery. I feel great and am down 98 pounds. 102 lbs down per the surgeon scale. I count the loss from when I started the preop diet. There are many things that I remember that led me down this path of weight loss surgery. Why I did what I did. I felt horrible for one. I was so depressed and nearing 300 lbs. I didn't want to do anything, but sit on the couch. I didn't even have the energy to play with my kids. I hated myself and pretty much just gave up on life. I felt like I was going to be fat forever. My back, hips, knees and even my legs hurt. I felt like my ankles were going to break when I would walk down the steps. My heart would pound when I would walk up just a few steps. I didn't even want to go outside because I didn't want people to see me. I didn't want the pity or the stares. So, after a conversation with my husband, I looked into weight loss surgery. My husband was so supportive. He said he wanted me with him for the rest of his life and didn't want to lose me. He loved me for me. So, I jumped through all the hoops with the insurance and got everything done. I had the surgery and went through all the stalls and today...98 lbs gone baby. I feel so good. I have the energy to do everything. I am not embarrassed about myself anymore and my self esteem has gone through the roof. I even like to clean and do the laundry. . I love trying to find cute clothes. They actually fit now. I am in a size 16 from a 24 and wear extra large shirts. I can fit into large, although they are a little tight. I don't feel like my ankles will break anymore and I don't even breathe hard when I go up steps. I exercise 5 days a week and eat 4-5 small meals a day. I finally know how to eat right. I am loving life.

Lol... little Jeffrey Dahmerish,but whatever works..

This really amazes me.. I've read about and talked w others about it but now that's it happening to me it seems unreal.. I had surgery nov 27th so I'm 1 week and almost 2days out and I've already lost 16lbs.. I just cannot believe it.. I'm so excited!! My highest weight was 264 day of surgery I weighed 241 current weight is 225.. :-)

I just tell everyone I make healthier choices, regulate my potion sizes & excercise.

That is exactly why I have not told anyone. My husband and I are the only ones that know of course except my online support friends:)

Dr. Lopez with ALM.
Mi Doctor Hospital
Spring Break, 3/11/13
At last. Feeling at peace with my decision and things seem to be working out.
Amanda Rae

Thank in good luck to you

I look forward to the day when I need a workout titled "insanity" to push me to my limits.... Right now I'm pushed to my limits doing "Sweatin' to the Oldies" heck forget that, I'm pushed to my limits climbing four flights of stairs!

I'm a longtime fan of The World According to Eggface and enjoy her recipes, I think we are all familiar with her legendary Ricotta Bake!! So I was invited over a friend's house for Thanksgiving and decided to make Eggy's pumpkin Protein Muffins with Ricotta Cheesecake filling. In short, they were the star of the table! Everyone else at the meal, all non-ops, couldn't stop raving about them and demanded the recipe! I must say, they are rich, sweet, and thoroughly satisfying. One word of caution though, if you follow Eggy's recipe and only have a muffin tin for regular size muffins, you will end up with only 4 or 5 muffins because she uses a mini-muffin tin (dang those must be the size of a quarter or something!) Since it was for a party I just tripled the recipe for a dozen muffins and it worked perfect.

I was sleeved on Oct 11-and I guess my expectations of how much weight I would lose was a bit higher...I'm thrilled with what I've lost but as I've become more active, my cals. are still at 600/day (30 grams carbs max) I though I'ld lose more weekly. Funny thing made me appreciate my loss (since sleeve only)-28 pounds. My husband gets us a fresh turkey every year for Thanksgiving. I told him not to get a huge one, they take too long to roast and it's hard to make soup-bones don't fit in my stock pot! Anyway, Thanksgiving morning I try to get the turkey from extra fridge and couldn't get it out. My husband gets it out and I realize how big it is and start to get mad at my husband. He said all the turkeys were over 20 pounds. Our turkey was 28 pounds. He said, that's about how much weight you've lost since surgery. I pop on the scale and sure enough, exactly 28 pounds! I laughed-I could barely lift and carry the turkey 10 feet yet that amount of weight was on my poor little(littler, I should say!) body! So, my tip is...lift the amount of weight you've lost somehow, a turkey, weights, anything to put it in perspective so you can actually feel the poundage-it's an amazing wake up call!

As of yesterday I lost 210 lbs... half my body weight. People are starting to ask me if I'm at goal. I'm wearing clothing that can best be described as average sized. Nothing bigger than a large and mostly medium with size 36 or 38 pants. I'm now just 9 lbs from my first major goal, 10 pounds from onderland, and 29 lbs from my stretch goal of 180. I'm really charged up about the prospects for the new year.
Oh what a wonderful feeling to have the seat belt fit on an airplane. One of the best NSVs yet.

Every day is better and this life change is my best Christmas present, thanksgiving wish, and birthday gift combined.

Hey guys, its been two years, I had my sleeve on November 17, 2010. My Starting weight was 580 pounds. Today I'm at 260 pounds. I'm at a stand still on losing weight and I'm happy with that, I would like to get down to 240 but I'm not in a hurry, I can eat what I want and do what I want. I'm off most of my prescriptions, High blood pressure medicine, Cholesterol medicine, Diabetes medicine, I have more energy then I have ever had. This has been a roller coaster of emotions but it was the best thing that I have ever done. If anyone has any question feel free to ask me anything.

OMG, whoever posted about Chia seeds last week, I have to thank you from the bottom of my heart. These little seeds are amazing! After I heard about them, i quickly researched them and then headed out to GNC and bought a bag. They are mixed into whatever you wish. I love to mix mine into yogurt. They swell up and make a thick gel like substance, you eat it and voila your full. Because it has Protein, it keeps you full. You can mix them in your favorite juice as well and once it gels, eat it. Because the seeds have no flavor, they take on the flavor of the juice. Right now I'm totally loving lime flavored yogurt and don't think i'll be able to finish it. You stay full pretty long too. They give lots of energy as well. . Now here's the kicker (always a kicker). . .don't use these if you already are taking blood pressure pills because they do lower the b/p. Don't use if your on blood thinners, cause they work as an anticogulant, and there has been evidence linked to chia seeds and the risk of prostate cancer if it's in the family, they are addictive,

Despite my weight fluctuations, I've basically been wearing the same size 26 dress pants for work, for years. They have been getting way too baggy to the point where people have been telling me to get new pants!
Went to get a couple pairs today, and I fit comfortably in a size 22! I was feeling a bit of sticker shock and realize I'm going to need to begin shopping consignment stores during this weight loss journey.
Size 22 and going down!

Before I had this surgery I was worried about loose skin and not having any muscle tone after the surgery. Well I am proud to say that I am a year out of surgery and I don’t have any loose skin. I have always lifted weights and wanted continue after I had my surgery. I am going to be honest when I got back in the gym after surgery I was extremely weak, in college I could bench about 475 lbs., when I got back in the gym I could barely bench 145 lbs. I stuck to it and now I am up to 375 lbs., I work out 4 days a week and I swim 3 say a week. I don’t run or walk because of the stress on my knees, I think once I get to my target weight I will start to run. Just recently I have noticed that I have gained 15 lbs. but my waist and my shirt size has reduced by 3 sizes. At first I was frustrated about the weight gain but I was told that I am gaining muscle mass and it is much heavier than fat. I think I am going to add more cardio to my routine so I can get to my target weight then I will continue my weight regimen. I am so glad I decided to have this surgery..it has really changed my life!!!