Kiwichick42

I LOVE Before & After pics so here is my contribution.

Here's an update- I'm down 72lbs now & will Celebrate my 6 month "surgaversary" next week. I'm getting hardcore with lifting weights now so hopefully the inches will continue to dissipate.
I'd like to lose another 53lbs!

Here's mine at 6 months now. I still have about 40 left to reach goal.

Here is my before(actually just after surgery) and here I am now a year later.

This is my first time posting pics, so I hope it works..
The first picture breaks my freaking heart. I'm so sad for myself... Hiding a double chin behind a kitten. I look unbearably miserable.
But on a positive note, I have to give a big shout-out to my supportive hubby. He's dieted (larger portions lol) and exercised with me. I couldn't enjoy the success and attitude I've had without him by my side. He starts with a personal trainer of his own today, and I'm bursting with pride. He's lost 50+ lbs already, and we're both feeling great.
    

The side by side didn't upload with my last post.

The sad thing is when I was my heaviest I was too uncomfortable to take pictures. I have very few photos of me and my kids together. I feel like my weight loss is going slow. I have lost a total of 60 pounds. I have hit a stall that seems like forever. I think my body wants to stay this size.
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April 2013
April 2014
372lbs to 191lbs

Before (October/2013)
304lbs

After (Today, 4/14/14)
203lbs
My surgery date was 10/21/13 .
Almost 6 months ago & down 101lbs.
My goal is 150lbs. Getting close!!

Day of my surgery

Me now. April 2014 !

Day of surgery at 383 (?), down from a high weight of 410 a couple months before. 6 months and 1 year progress pic. Down from a size 40/5x to a 16-18/XL.

I love to share my success with other sleeves who understand and don't think I'm just bragging. (Yes, I've gotten that)

Had wls 3-12-2013 in Mexico with Dr. Ortiz preop 254 day of sugery and after 3 week diet 234 today 134 my goal weight to stay between 125-130. I am an apple shape as you guys can tell and will have to have plastics to remove hanging skin on my stomach, thighs, arms, and back fat, not to mention my breast are in terrible condition should of been at goal weight by now but to many cheat days and not enough exercising I'm joining Planet Fitness today.  

I am one year out and down 103 pounds still have 30 to go for my goal weight but loving the journey!!! Everyone looks fantastic best decision of my life.

Little update on me everyone's looking great xx
I'm nearly 10 months post op, 93 lb (42 kg) lost so far, still have 28 lb (15 kg) to lose but I'm getting there with sweat and hard work
My stats : Height - 5'9" (1.76 m), SW - 287 lb (130 kg) , CW - 194 lb (88kg)
TW - 165 lb (75 kg)
Can't believe I'm posting a picture of me in that state. The before picture was 3 days after my surgery, when I got home

I was sleeved 5/15/13. I'm down 106 pounds! Highest weight was 273 and today I'm 167 : )

3 months down and 60 lbs later. I feel like a whole new person. Life has never been so amazing. I seriously doubted my decision the first month. It was the hardest season of my life so far. But so so SO worth it. And I'm no where near where I need to be yet!!!

A little over 11 months out and 149 since surgery and 205 overall for me.

Here is my before shot and after shot. My one year mark is this Friday, March 7th. I have lost over 100 pounds. I was a size 22, now I'm down to a size 2,3. I feel great. I work out almost every day and I thank God every day for this surgery.

4 months & 1 Day post Op
HW: 318
Sw: 303
CW:223
GW:160
I was sleeved 10/21/13 & lost 80lbs since . I am 23 &my one & ONLY regret is that I didnt get this surgery years ago!
Here is a pic of me the day of my first Dr appointment (left) & the second pic (right) is me about 3 weeks ago (since them I have lost 12lbs actually lol)

The last straw for me was chronically high blood pressure. (220/117) I want to be here for my kids and to lead a fuller life.... Especially in summer. I'm sick of lying on my towel and never going in the Water as I'm too embarrassed about how I look in togs! Bobbi.

I would ONLY have a sleeve. Neither band nor bypass were an option for me. My doctor refused to do bands because of all the complications related and I refused to have a bypass.
My sleeve allows me to eat anything I want, but I am severely limited as far as quantity. I didn't want the possibility of dumping (but I got it anyways when I eat ice cream) and I didn't want my intestines re-routed. I am unable to eat more than 1/4-1/2 cup of anything at one sitting, so I have learned that I must make bold, flavorful but nutritious choices or I will not feel "right" or satisfied. No more bland food, no more fried food, no more crappy carbs.
I don't worry about malnutrition OR Vitamin deficiencies. I knew I would suck at taking my Vitamins, so that was another reason bypass wasn't an option.

I look and feel great. I can eat whatever, whenever and no one would know by my eating habits that I had surgery. They just know I pick at my food and usually take a box home. That's all they need to know.

Just a thought.........how about you figure how many calories you drink over a period of say......a month. Maybe that will help you see how this social activity is actually adding to your misery instead of your happiness. Will your drinking friends like you less if you cut back on the booze? Do you need to be drinking / drunk to have fun?
Maybe, just maybe, if you have surgery and lose enough weight to be able to embrace regular activity and exercise, you could find friends who like to hike instead of drink. Your current friends may be the only people in your current social universe, but they don't have to be.
One thing I have found out about losing weight is that we also lose inhibitions that were holding us back, too. That new thin you that is trapped inside the current hefty you may be an entirely different person. A healthier body and healthier outlook changes us. It is no secret that bariatric surgery exposes the raw dynamics of relationships, and there are a lot of examples on this site. Once you do lose weight and become thin and healthy, you my find that your current "friends" are threatened by the competition you will present. Think really hard about whether they treat you like a friend or like a joke.
I wish you the best of luck in whatever you decide to do. Just don't let your current friendships determine your future health. Believe me, the health problems escalate quickly with obesity. You have to decide where the greater value is.
Hugs from Miss Mac in Chicago.

This is going to sound harsh...do you want to be fat or do you want to party? You said that much as you have a great life, it is limited because of your weight. You avoid doing things because of your self-esteem and you feel like you are surrounded by all your beautiful friends and guys never look at you. You're going to need to give up booze for a few months after surgery, but after that if you want to you can still go out and drink. If anything you will be a way cheaper drinker because less alcohol gets you buzzed faster.
I can appreciate in a sense how you feel because when I was 21 (and under 21) I had a great time partying, however back then I was normal sized. When I did finally decide to get the sleeve (when I was 29) I hadn't gone out in several years because I was so ashamed of what I looked like. Guys wouldn't give me the time of day, so no matter how much fun I had with my great girl friends, I felt like not only was I bringing them down because guys had to send in the Grenade jumper (the dude that jumps on the ugly fat girl so his friends can hit on the hot girls) before they could come hit on my friends but I was embarrassing myself in the process. As a result, I just decided staying in and being alone was the better option.
I am now slightly under goal and for the first time in a very long time dating someone. We go out places and instead of people looking at me like I should be at home on a treadmill, men hit on me all the time. People are nice to me. Women and men make comments about how tiny I am. I'm not a big drinker anymore, but when I do drink I really don't notice a huge difference between before sleeve and after sleeve now that I'm almost 2 years out. I can still go out, have a good time, and drink...I just don't eat a lot of the foods anymore and I don't spend the entire time wondering if people are laughing at me. Really though, I would give up booze and partying forever if it meant that I got to be the size I am now for the rest of my life. Being thin, healthy, and attractive is worth way more to me than being able to drink and eat my face off whenever I want to.
So...getting the surgery will not kill your social life for more than a few months, but if your priority is not with being healthy and is instead with going out, partying, and keeping the bad habits that contributed to your weight problem in the first place, the sleeve isn't going to help you much past the first few months. I can easily eat and drink my way to WAY too many calories, but I'm more focused on being thin and healthy than I am in enjoying food and booze. It sounds like you, like me, want to be thin because you want to be hot. There's nothing inherently wrong with that, however in the long term the motivation to be thin has to be more than the motivation to go out and have fun every night. Being hot comes with sacrifice and if you don't think you're willing to make that sacrifice, wait until you're a bit older, a bit less interested in partying everynight, and a bit more oriented toward making the healthy choices you will need to make if you have a sleeve.
I'd say I'd do a shot for you tonight and wish you luck on your decision....but I'll drink some carrot juice for you instead.

I was an over weight alcoholic. I was faced with a dilemma, die young because of my obesity or lose weight so I can grow old with my family. No brainer, I quit drinking (for the most part... details later), had the surgery. I am 9 months out today and down 116 pounds. I feel great. life is great. I was given a second chance. I do occasionally drink red wine. Bourbon was my daily vice. I have had it once since surgery (on my birthday). Don't let booze control your life. I know you are 21 and it seems like a huge part of your life, but that will wear off. I am not sure of your stats (height/weight) but you are young, this will give you an amazing rebirth. You can still go out and party. Yeah, you can drink. moderation is key.
I am glad you found this site. read on here. sooooo much info. it motivated me to do the surgery and has made me successful. good luck!!!