Ima Loser

I hate when people are sarcastic to an honest question... TECHNICALLY your stomach isn't a pouch... I don't think it is easy to rip open... I slept in bed (on my stomach after day 3) rolled around picked up my 3 year old (day 5... dont reccomend this...) and I am fine!

OMG I did this as well!!! You are so not alone!

OMG Sorry I just realized I wrote a mini novel about the Cheesecake Factory! lol!

I love love LOVE Cheesecake factory... In fact just went there. Every year on Martin Luther King day (no signifigance just a day we all have off work and our kids are in pre-school) me, my mom, my cousin, and my aunt go out for the day. Usually out to eat and shopping. They just opened a Cheesecake Factory at our mall and my mom and aunt had never been. So we went there while shopping.
The Skinnylicous Menu is AWESOME. I loved it before surgery and I love it even more now!
My mom and I split the Pot Sticker Appetizer (I ate 1 and a bite of another) and I ordered the Lettuce Wrapped Tacos (mexican style) Both of these we in the Small Plates part of the Skinnylicious Menu... The Lettuce Wrapped Tacos came with 3 and I ate 1 and I actually have the other 2 with me for lunch today at work! They were soo good!
They also have an AMAZING turkey burger! Best I have ever had!

OMG Sorry I just realized I wrote a mini novel about the Cheesecake Factory! lol!

I have 2 things... One wasn't even about me but it still pisses me off...
1. When I first started dating my husband I was 18 and in really good shape, probably the best shape I have ever been in... I am 5'5 and at that time weighed about 150lbs, but I was pretty fit. When I met his parents for the first time his father was extremely obese (still is). After we had lunch we left. My husband called his dad to see what they thought of me (on speaker phone). His dad said "She was really nice, but she could use a little nip tuck don't you think?" I was devistated. Then I quickly got over it and said VERY loudly in the car "Is he serious?? Seriously he would say that? does he even owna mirror." His dad hung up the phone. Now my father in law is very nice to me. Needless to say he has never again mentioned my weight.
2. This is the one that isnt about me but it was said right in front of me and seriously pissed me off. There is a lady at my office who is thinner and older but not really old. She was standing in front of my desk talking with a group of people and made a comment about another co worker. He is on the bigger side. Definately in the obese catigory but not big like he cant walk or needs a crane to get him out of his house... Well this woman said "I am sure he eats a ton" another coworker of mine said "I have been to lunches with him and to him house for a picnic and I have never seen him eat an extreme amount of food" The ignorant coworker then said "Well that is because he was in front of people... He probably stuffs his face hen no one is around. You dont think he would eat like that around people do you? When people like him eat in public they dont eat the same as they do in private" So I am very outspoken and have a bit of a problem keeping my mouth shut at times... I said "Oh really...When 'people like him' eat in private how do they eat?" she responds "oh well you know" I said "Obviously I don't" she said "oh I dont know, I dont mean to be nasty or rude" I said "ok" she just walked away looking rather embarassed.
One of my biggest pet peeves is when people who have never had a weight problem make gerneralzations that all people who are overweight eat like you see on the biggest loser. And that bothers me... Just because I am over weight doesn't mean when I am home alone I eat 4 cheese steaks, a pizza and a dozen wings... SMH!
Other then those 2 specific things the only other things that annoy me is like how sometimes I am refered to as so and so's fat friend. Or you know Kelly the heavy girl...

I don't deny myself anything... If my family is eating pizza, I eat pizza. I just don't over do it... I eat 1 piece and never the crust... Most of the time I still can't even eat the whole piece. I am at goal and maintaining for a bit now. I eat a normal diet. I had this procedure so I could live a normal life, not so I could spend the rest of my life on a diet. Don't get me wrong I am VERY conscious of what I am eating and to this day 5 of the 7 days a week I still log my meals into my fitness pal.

I don't deny myself anything... If my family is eating pizza, I eat pizza. I just don't over do it... I eat 1 piece and never the crust... Most of the time I still can't even eat the whole piece. I am at goal and maintaining for a bit now. I eat a normal diet. I had this procedure so I could live a normal life, not so I could spend the rest of my life on a diet. Don't get me wrong I am VERY conscious of what I am eating and to this day 5 of the 7 days a week I still log my meals into my fitness pal.

I don't deny myself anything... If my family is eating pizza, I eat pizza. I just don't over do it... I eat 1 piece and never the crust... Most of the time I still can't even eat the whole piece. I am at goal and maintaining for a bit now. I eat a normal diet. I had this procedure so I could live a normal life, not so I could spend the rest of my life on a diet. Don't get me wrong I am VERY conscious of what I am eating and to this day 5 of the 7 days a week I still log my meals into my fitness pal.

I have absolutely no regrets. I had my surgery in Dec 2012, I have lost a lot of weight and I feel great! It is the best feeling ever to just look like a normal person. The first couple weeks were hard, but as long as you follow your doctors instructions and stay focused you will do great...
One piece of advice I do have... try not to focus too much on other peoples success or failure... Everyone is different what works for me may not work for you and what works for you may not work for me! Remember that and you will do great!

I am very sorry to be off topic but this comment bothers me ALOT!!! Are you trying to imply that the only people who value and take this surgery seriously are the ones who pay out of pocket for it...?
I was very lucky to have my insurance pay for my surgery, that being said I pay VERY HIGH premiums biweekly for my health insurance, and yes I am blessed to have great insurance that covered my sleeve surgery, but that in no way shape or form mean I take getting 80% of my stomach cut out lightly... I think this was not a very fair comment to make...

This is too funny...

I am going to Honestly give the same "cliche" response as alot of other... My only regret is not doing this sooner... By far one of the best choices I have EVER made for myself!

I have never heard of taking EPO to prevent hair loss!!

You need to talk to the state insurance commissioner... You have a grace period to pay and with proof of payment, the company really has no choice but to reinstate you... Without any details I can't give too much more info then that but I would definitely give a call to your state's dept of banking and insurance and find out your rights as a consumer.

Best compliment I have gotten so far was from a Soldier I work with. I was having to explain a project to him that he was going to be responsible for because I am going to be out for surgery. He asked why I was going to be gone so long so I gave him an honest answer. His reply was something to the effect of "I am so happy for you. We are totally behind you." What I found out later was that some of the guys in the office have been talking about my weight and what they could do to help me. They have been concerned about my health. I still get choked up thinking about it.

So many:
1. Adding up the weight of everyone in the elevator to make sure I don't push its capacity above limit;
2. Pretending I want to stand up because I can't possibly fit in your plastic lawn chair;
3. Not eating at a function because my dress won't fit post meal;
4. Feeling the fold above my elbow hit the back of my forearm;
5. Underwear rolling down below my belly;
6. Apologizeing for my very existence at the grocery store;
7. Not being sure I am "clean" everywhere;
8. Being the person that by my presence gives everyone else permission to order dessert;
9. Being a non-threat to insecure women!

I am in too… I am not one to pass up on a good challenge…
I have been going back and forth with a definite goal weight for myself, especially since I am only 3.8lbs to my initial goal/goal dr set for me… So I am going to shoot for a couple more than that.
I am gonna TRY for 8lbs before Halloween!!
Starting Weight: 167.8lbs
Halloween Goal Weight: 160 lbs
Lbs lost: ---
Lbs to go: 7.8lbs

Hi all,
It is 7 weeks until Halloween and I wanted to start a Halloween Weight loss Challenge. We could weigh in every Thursday until the 10/31.
9/12 - starting weight 172lbs
10/31 goal weight 165lbs
Please join me and Good Luck!

I'm totally new here, was set on the band until Tuesday when the doc said sleeve. So I dove in and read about the sleeve and found the before and after pics thread. Everyone of you are amazing! Can this even be real that I too can be healthy again, and perhaps love myself?

Please stop and do the math.
People get completely freaked out by what I feel are unreasonable expectations. They fly into a panic. They assume that the first time they don't lose on the scale that their loss is done. They think that two weeks at one weight is a massive stall. They look at other people's large losses and forget that we don't all lose at the same rate.
First - if you did a pre-op diet you are not going to have the same loss your first month as someone who didn't do one. Your pre-op loss should get counted into your loss calculation if you did a pre-op diet.
Second - a stall is three weeks or more at the same weight with no fluctuation. Are you panicked after that? Well, my friend coops once spent twenty one MONTHS at the same weight. She finally broke through and never regained during that time, and even lost two sizes while not budging on the scale. Is it the miracle cure you may have been hoping for on the scale? No. But stalls are not the end of the world. They are certainly more normal that flying to goal in six weeks, I promise you.
Third - losing anything more than a pound a week is good. Are you eating less than ever before? Yes. Does that guarantee you'll lose faster than ever before? No. I had two nine week stalls - no movement except upwards for my monthly cycle. I had months where I lost but only in the tenths of a pound. It's not normal to expect a big loss every time you step on the scale. It's setting yourself up for disappointment.
Fourth - your pattern is your pattern. You can compare yourself to other people sleeved the same day or with the same stats but it doesn't matter. So much of this is individual. So if you're constantly seeking out other people and comparing your losses to theirs, you are eventually going to discourage and frustrate yourself.
Fifth - are you closing in on goal? We all lose even more slowly the less weight we have to lose. So if you only have sixty pounds to lose but shed thirty in your first three months, please don't be hysterical because you're "only" losing a pound a week now that you're past the halfway point. It's normal.
Stop. Breathe. Do the math. Adjust your expectations. This is not a race. You do not get a special award for reaching goal more quickly. Your surgery was not pointless or worthless if you manage to get to goal in two years instead of six months. The real goal is not losing the weight. It's keeping the weight off. That's real success - that's what we're here to do. It does not matter if you hit goal in nine months or two years - the real challenge and the real journey begins with maintenance. How quickly or slowly you lost does nothing to change the challenges you'll encounter there.
I am not ranting at anyone in particular. I just feel that this is an issue that comes up constantly and it's actually pretty silly for people to fly into such a panic without really thinking. I've seen folks upset when they're logging losses of upwards of four pounds a week. Point to the diet that helped you accomplish that and was easy to maintain prior to surgery.
~Cheri

I am going shopping to buy all the cute clothes...

This is too funny...

Pre Surgery Weight: 264lbs
DOS Weight (12.12.2012): 254lbs
Week 1 Weight (07.09.2013): 181.8lbs
Week 8 Weight (09.02.2013): 170.6 lbs

Goal Weight for Labor Day: 170lbs...
Total Challenge weight lost: -11.20lbs...
I totally agree with starting a Halloween Challenge!

Congratulations to everyone! If you made it to goal, it's great! But even if we didn't it is still an achievement! Lets keep going- Halloween??