Luckystar12

Email me for pics and prices. Lots of clothes!! Liquidating my closet!! Lol
Somone22@aol.com.

My surgery was Aug 24th 2012...I am 10 months out. I have lost 94 lbs and losing has slowed down to about 5 lbs a month so I just started exercising (walking) to help SPEED IT UP...LOL I still have a LONG WAY TO GO to get to my goal of 150/160 lbs...HOPEFULLY I'LL MAKE IT!!!

Hey Beautiful People,
It's been 6 months since my surgery and so far I've lost a total of 75 lbs Started off at 290 and this morning I weighed in at 215!!!!!! Yayyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!
15lbs away from my first goal of getting to 200lbs and it is extremely exciting. Below are a couple of before and after pics...although I just realized I never really had full body pictures taken of me pre-op (so sad)  Thank You all for your advice, support and feedback.

9 months ago (Sept 4, 2012) I went in to have my surgery. This was my last attempt to get back the life I loved and missed so much and little did I know at the time that it would be the best decision I'd ever made for myself. I want to share this because I remember looking to these boards trying to find out what to expect and how to know if I was making the right choice. Only you can decide what's right for you, but after everything I'd do it again 100x without hesitation. I had a few small hurdles to overcome after my surgery, but they were small in comparison to the reward I feel now. I will be forever grateful for the decision I made. I couldn't walk without feeling miserable, going out made me feel terrible because I never felt good about the way I looked after gaining the weight and I just wasn't living life to the fullest. I wish I'd had the surgery years ago, but what's important is that I had it. 9 months ago I was in a tight size 20 jeans and XXL tops. Today I'm wearing a 9 in jeans which are super loose so I’ll probably be going down another size within the next couple of weeks and a small or medium in tops. Knowing I can walk into any store and buy clothes makes me jump for joy. Every time I pass Lane Bryant I say a quiet thank you that they were there when I needed them and then smile because I know I'll never need them again. I can go into any store I want and try on and wear nearly anything I want. Don't get me wrong, there are still things I see that I love and I'm not able to wear just yet, but I'm almost there and I could not say that a year ago. I'm going to touch on some of the things I had so many questions and curiosities about so that maybe I can help someone else with the same concerns.
First of all, my BIGGEST concern throughout this process was the possibility of hair loss. I had very fine hair to begin with and it has never been extremely thick. It was perfect for me, but I didn’t feel like I had any to spare. At pretty much exactly 3 months out the dreaded Hair loss started and my heart broke. I was terrified that this was happening to me. I was finally having success at losing weight and now I had to deal with something else that would make me feel bad. I was losing hair with a vengeance and I remember saying to myself, “it’s going to be okay, just roll with the punches and it’s going to stop before it gets too bad” until one day I realized I had thinned enough on top that it was noticeable and I broke down and cried. Listen up ladies; this is about 98% likely to happen to you so mentally prepare for it so when it comes you don’t lose your mind. I wasn’t happy, but I was prepared as much as I could be because I’d done the research. I had beautiful and long straight blonde hair. It was my staple and always had been. I held on for as long as I could and started getting weekly salon treatments to help with regrowth (which if you can afford worked AMAZING), but I did finally have to cut my long locks into a cute and sexy short style. I have NEVER had short hair and I was terrified, but because I was no longer “fat” it looked amazing on me and gave my hair the volume it was lacking since it was so long. It is still short (I have since cut it again bc I loved the way it looks so much) and all of the hair I lost is coming back in thanks to my treatments and the hair loss coming to a stop. I think it stopped falling out after about 3-4 months so it was a while before I noticed I was no longer losing fist fulls of hair. I kept my long hair in a cute braid to the side or French braided for a few months before I finally cut it because it was thin enough at that point that leaving it down just wasn’t an option anymore or everyone would have noticed.
Another concern I had was “what is my body going to look like after this surgery if I lose a lot of weight?” Well, I needed to lose a little over 100lbs and have lost 92 so far. I feel very lucky because it isn’t too bad. My arms underneath are a little flappy, but I also haven’t worked out like I should and am currently working on that and can tell it’s getting better. My tummy is pretty much what I expected. I do not have any loose skin there at this point (and don’t think I will), but it’s not my favorite to look at for a few reasons. I have a ton of stretch marks, particularly on my lower tummy area) and since losing weight they definitely make it hard for my lower tummy to not hang a little. Now, I have seen some bad pics of bellies and mine isn’t horrible at all, but I don’t love it. I also hate my surgery scars because I want to be able to eventually show my stomach in a swimsuit and they will keep me from feeling comfortable doing that. I want to get a Tummy Tuck, but that will have to wait for now. I did do a consult and the doctor wants me to wait until a year out and then of course I have to figure out financing. She did say, however, that I won’t need a full tuck because my muscles underneath are in great shape so technically I’ll only need the panniculectomy done. She is trying to get insurance to approve that, but I don’t think it will happen because it doesn’t look horrible or hang much at all and I can’t imagine they will cover it, but we’ll see. My breasts are another area that has been significantly affected. They are much smaller than they were (although still considered large and well-proportioned for my body size) and they are hanging down lower than they should now. This again seems to be because of the stretching (stretch marks). They could use a lift and the doctor thinks around 350cc’s implant to fill in where the skin is loose. I’m hoping to have this done at the same time as the tummy tuck. All that said about the surgeries I’m looking at, I could never do the surgery and I would still look great guys. So, if you’re concerned about not having the money for surgery later on, don’t let that be a deterrent. I still look pretty fabulous naked compared to a year ago. I have had a thousand compliments on my change in appearance since my surgery and the men I’m around are falling all over themselves and not just any men, but the hot and fit ones, so don’t let something like a few imperfections keep you from following through with your surgery because if I never get plastics done I will still be more than okay with the way my body looks and I have done virtually no physical exercise up until recently. I saved this for last because it is for me the one place I do have some loose skin. It is very little, but trust me, I hate it and it’s something I can’t help but notice and it’s my inner thighs. I’m very short so for me my fat distributed more to my backside and thighs than anywhere else. I was fat all over, don’t get me wrong, but this area took a lot of what the rest of my body couldn’t hold so when I lost weight, that area became very flabby because it’s such a fatty area. Again, I have not worked out like I should so I KNOW I can improve this by leaps and bounds which is what I’m working on now. I will try to update you on that progress later on for those who are interested. I am hoping to eventually get it to a point where it’s virtually unnoticeable and think it’s possible aside from the stretch marks which I could care less about for the most part since even the skinniest people I know have those.
As far as my body, that is all I can think of that were huge concerns of mine going into this last year. I really do look amazing and feel like I’ve won such an amazing prize by getting my life back. It’s been so long since I was smaller I hadn’t realized how much differently I was treated from before I gained the weight. It isn’t right, I will agree, but there is a definite difference and I was even extremely confident for someone who was overweight. I always thought people treated me the same, but now I’m realizing they didn’t. I am called sweetheart and darling all of the time now where I didn’t get that as often before. I’m constantly complimented on my clothing, hair, smile, face, jewelry, etc. I have always been very fashion conscious so I did get compliments when I was bigger, but nothing to the magnitude that I am now. It really does make you feel amazing and I can’t stop smiling. I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of walking into a room or up to someone and having them call me “skinny”. Some people take offense to that from what I’ve read on these boards, but I think everyone is also entitled to their opinion. For me, it makes me feel like all of the effort I’ve put into making healthy eating choices and watching my portions to aid my sleeve are just being complimented every time someone says “Oh my God, you look amazing”.
And, this post has gone so long that I’m just going to briefly touch on food and stalls because I read a lot about that before and after my surgery too. I think everyone is different and should treat this surgery in such a way that will benefit their weight loss goals. While I was definitely addicted to food for a period of time after gaining weight, I have not always been big so for me, after the surgery, I did not miss food at all and I know everyone isn’t so lucky. So, I have been able to possibly indulge a little more than someone who would never be able to stay on the wagon if they did. My diet is pretty lax compared to most I see on here, but I also do not eat much at all even almost a year out. Up until recently I was still only eating 3-4 bites before becoming full. I think that is different for everyone. I usually do something small in the mornings (egg or oatmeal) and then eat pretty normal the rest of the day. I try to make healthy choices such as choosing a lean Protein, but if I have a bite or two of a side it’s usually what everyone else is having. The beauty for me is that I only eat a bite or two and if you can’t do that then stay away from the carbs because it isn’t worth damaging your weight loss for. I look at it like this, I spent 8 years eating myself to death so I’m going to skip the pie or cake because I ate enough of that for a lifetime. If there is cake, I’ll take a bite of my husbands if I just really want to try it, but usually it doesn’t appeal to me at all. I have stalled a few times throughout, but unlike some, I don’t worry about it because I know I’m eating small portions. I was stuck at the 150 mark for probably longer than any other stall (a complete month with not losing even a pound) so I went back to Protein shakes for Breakfast and then made sure I was only eating lean Protein for lunch and dinner with minimal carbs and I’m now down to 145 so that proves to me that if I’m stalling I can break through with a little effort on my part. Another thing that I know is controversial is sodas. I used to drink Dr. Pepper like crazy and since surgery I will admit that I do have the occasional Dr. Pepper. Now, that said, by occasional I may do this once every three to four weeks and when I do it’s one of the tiny 90 calorie cans. Again, I am not easily persuaded back into old habits so if you are DON’T do it! I just want one occasionally and I don’t deprive myself of it. Some people can’t even tolerate it anyways so it’s not an issue. I tend to be able to tolerate most anything. The only things that have changed pretty drastically are that I don’t like the taste of milk anymore so I don’t drink it at all where I used to drink a glass every couple of days. I can’t stand it now. I also can’t really eat anything super spicy anymore which makes me a little sad. I love jalapenos and used to eat them with everything and I just can’t handle it. It doesn’t hurt my belly, but gives me horrible acid reflux/indigestion so I just don’t go there. I have eaten ice-cream a couple of times and it was bad. I had symptoms similar to dumping and that will make you stay away forever because it’s no fun. I think it was because it was liquid and ran straight through so quickly because if I eat something sweet that’s solid such as a small brownie or cookie (which is rare, but does happen once in a blue moon) it doesn’t have the same affect. Again, I just think everyone is different. I was never one to eat a lot of sweets or snack so it is pretty much a non-issue for me.
I really hope there is some useful information in this post for those of you who are new or thinking about surgery. I just know I would scour the boards for hours trying to find info and compare notes and find people that were close to me in size and stature. It always gives you something to look forward to. If you have a specific question about something I didn't talk about here, feel free to ask me. I'd be happy to answer it for you.

Have 32 to go!..

Sizes 18-20/22 jeans, work slacks, tank, and blazers. Will sell for cheap! Plus pay shipping. Will send pics if you email me at somone22@aol.com.
Cheers!

From a 24 to a 8 my goal is 18 more pounds before June 5/2013....

Height, muscle mass, and the amount you have to loose have a lot to do with weight loss. However each person is different. I am a slow looser, always have been. But I tend to loose inches first. All you can do is what your doctors/nutritionist tell you to do and be patient. The weight will come off. Keep your expectations in check.
I was sleeved 1 month ago and lost about 10lbs, which is great. Some people have lost at least double that. I've dropped almost two sizes.
Here is a great article on stalls, this really helped me not to freak out. Good Luck.
http://www.dsfacts.com/weight-loss-stall-or-plateau.html

big NSV - me posting these pictures
as DH posted pic - he looked at me and said "I don't remember you looking like that."
Either do i!!!! strange!!!
the times they are a changing
i feel like the happiest person in the world
I'm enjoying life to the fullest
what a great "thing" i did for myself, having WLS
DOS
12/15/11
235 lbs
5'3
3/30/13
130 lbs
GOAL
59 years young
still 5'3

I was done the same day. Only down 35. What is your diet like??

So I have been fighting the same 3 pounds for 4 weeks now. But I have lost 2 inches in my waist, 1 in bust and 1 on hips in 10 days. Anyone else experience this? Im working out but i would think the scale would move a little!
Pre op 263
Sw 257
Cw 226
Dos 1/7/13

Thanks everyone. I have reached stalls , like every 2-3 weeks I'm at a stall. When this happens I try my best to lower my calories & exercise more. Problem with that is that I'm not getting enough nourishment . I only eat about 500-700 calories a day. Dr said at this point I should be eating at least 900-1100 calories a day. He also said the last 20-30 lbs are the hardest to take off. Now there are days when I over eat & have carbs & sugar & yes I know I'm not suppose to , but my stomach doesn't reject it & I feel fine, until I over do it . So I cheat every now & then. That's usually when I have my stalls.
I wish you all good luck on this incredible journey of your new life as a skinny person . I love it . We all go through different stages & weight lose is different for each individual , but don't get discouraged if your losing at a slower rate, just remember , before the surgery , how long did it take us to lose anything ? I know for me, it took me over a yr just to lose 20 lbs. so I'll take the1-3lbs every 2 weeks. You will lose it , you will reach your goal. You will be happy . Don't give up, it will get better
Have a great Easter everyone !!

Done 1/7. Down 30. Starred at 260 now 230. Haven't lost a a thing in a month. I eat good. I exercise. What am i doing wrong?? .

Yes. Very normal. I crave all the time but not like i used to. I have trained myself to eat very well but if i am really craving something i eat it. You can only take in a few bites anyways. Just dont give in all the time. 1x a week maybe. I was dying for an oatmeal cookie and i had one. Nothing happened. I didnt blow up. Lol. No wt gain. We are human. Do an extra workout if u cheat!

It's official!....I no longer need to shop at Lane Bryant! I was in Nordstrom Rack today with a friend and where do I head as soon as I walk in the door - PLUS SIZES! And then I picked out about 10 tops in a 1x...my friend kept telling me - you are NOT a plus size anymore! But in my mind I still am (was) and I took the clothes to the dressing room. YEP - they were all too big! And shockingly not just by a little! I was shocked and very surprised! Do you mean to tell me that I can go back to looking and shopping in "regular" stores! Talk about a great day and incredible NSV!!!!! Wwwoooooooo-hooooooooo!

Jan 7th. Down 35, 5 pre and 30 post. Starting wt 263.

180 pounds lost.

Start weight: 246lbs
Current weight: 196lbs
I have a long way to go but I'm feeling good today. I bought this dress to Celebrate being in the 80kg range woohoo

Well since I forgot to put up a picture at 9 months picture, so technically it's a 10 month picture. I have currently lost 131#. I haven't updated my status on here and I will correct that shortly. Thought I would post some pictures from beginning until now. This tool will work for you! I am not saying I didn't have set backs and everything wasn't perfect on my journey, but it is working. I am thankful I took the leap.
12 hours before surgery:
6 months post op:
And today at 10 months post op 131# down:

I like to make my own with sirloin and good cheese. I can avoid fast food if i can make the same taste at home. Maybe low fat sliders?? I love burgers and i do not think they should be off limits as long as you are smart about their prep.

I live in NYC and hardly visited McDs bc there are hundreds if better burger places out here. There is a Bareburger by me, which is organic lean burgers with real cheese and you can pick a wheat bun or lettuce wrap. Obviously i would choose this place over Mcds, i do not even enjoy them. Burger does not always mean fast food. I am a foodie so quality over quantity for me. I do not plan on even attempting a burger until like 4 months out, i can hardly tolerate pureed chicken. I do believe the sleeve is the tool to teach moderation and to not deprive yourself of "no no foods", we just need to be smart.

I live in NYC and hardly visited McDs bc there are hundreds if better burger places out here. There is a Bareburger by me, which is organic lean burgers with real cheese and you can pick a wheat bun or lettuce wrap. Obviously i would choose this place over Mcds, i do not even enjoy them. Burger does not always mean fast food. I am a foodie so quality over quantity for me. I do not plan on even attempting a burger until like 4 months out, i can hardly tolerate pureed chicken. I do believe the sleeve is the tool to teach moderation and to not deprive yourself of "no no foods", we just need to be smart.

I live in NYC and hardly visited McDs bc there are hundreds if better burger places out here. There is a Bareburger by me, which is organic lean burgers with real cheese and you can pick a wheat bun or lettuce wrap. Obviously i would choose this place over Mcds, i do not even enjoy them. Burger does not always mean fast food. I am a foodie so quality over quantity for me. I do not plan on even attempting a burger until like 4 months out, i can hardly tolerate pureed chicken. I do believe the sleeve is the tool to teach moderation and to not deprive yourself of "no no foods", we just need to be smart.