jbgirl5856

I really had zero problems with my surgery. 12 hours after my surgery I was up walking and feeling just fine. I had one meltdown 3 days post op when it hit me that I really could not eat! I did not have any tough things that were health related once I had my surgery. I mostly had emotional battles with myself. I had to let go of my addiction with food and find healthier ways to fill my day. I took up makeup as a hobby about 1 month out of surgery and focused my energy on that in my spare time. I also took exercising very seriously and worked out often. Once I realized that food did not have to control my life, everything else fell into place. As far as what I experienced my first few days post op - BOREDOM! haha You don't realize how much time food takes up until you are drinking liquids for 1 month. The pre-op diet was very hard for me, but I stuck to it and did not sway. Do not cheat on your pre-op diet - I really feel like it sets the standard for how you are going to approach your diet after you have the surgery. Good luck!

Hey everyone! I had my surgery August 22nd, 2012 so I'm about 15 months post op. I've lost a total of 101 pounds and I feel great I started at 231 lbs. and now weigh 130 lbs. At 23 years old, I feel like life can't get any better I've been maintaining for about 7-8 months. I feel so much healthier and more confident. I continue to exercise and make healthy choices to motivate myself to be the healthiest me that I can be. This journey has been one of the most humbling and challenging experiences of my life. I've surrounded myself with positive people who have supported me throughout this whole process. I'm now participating in the "Bari-Buddy" system at the hospital I had my surgery at - getting paired with people who just had the surgery to be a support to them. It's been a great experience - both rewarding and inspiring to help support other people who are in the same position I was in 15 months ago. Since the summer, I've graduated college and started a new job. I'm now an occupational therapist working in a pediatric setting. This is something I always wanted to do but I was always too intimidated to work with kids - because let's be honest...kids are a little too honest!! I am so grateful that I now have the confidence (and the energy!!) to help these kids achieve all of their goals. I hope everyone is having lots of success and happiness Here are some before and after pictures!

No I haven't had plastics. I did work out a lot throughout the last year and had a "core routine" Thanks!

I say rock it lol

haha I had just made a post and then saw this!! Before surgery I really wanted to see what people's stomachs looked like and I could not find anything. Thanks for being brave and posting yours. I'll add mine onto here too. You look awesome!! Very inspiring Congrats and Happy Summer!!! Excuse the horrible stretch marks from the "before" pictures - I just find the before pictures give people a good idea of the progress possible!!

haha I am sure you look fabulous!!!!! Congrats on your weight loss :)

I'm obviously on team sleeve! lol I just haven't heard great things about the Lapband. You have to choose what's important to you. I can order something and eat an okay amount right now. I eat much slower than everyone and don't eat a ton. But if I go out, I'll get a small salad or a Soup or something like that. I was scared of this too...but in the end loosing weight was more important than all of those things. I just figured it all out after my surgery! I'm still able to enjoy a beer if I want one...I am only 23 after all

I'm 5'3" lol Thanks!

Hello All! The first 7 months I made monthly updates on this forum. I've pretty much just been maintaining the last couple months, but I thought I would post an update. I'm 23 years old and had my surgery August 22nd last year so I am between 9-10 months post op right now. I started at 231 and am currently 139. Yahooo! I can't tell you how much I am looking forward to this summer!! Last year I honestly had one ugly pair of capris and two "nice" tops. Whenever I had to get dressed to go somewhere, I would choose between those two tops. I never felt confident. I hardly have any pictures because I avoided them. Most days I would just wear baggy sweats and my boyfriend's t-shirts...how attractive!! I was also hot ALLLLL the time. I was getting dressed this morning and thinking about how different this summer will be. This morning I woke up and went for a 3 mile jog. I came home, showered, and put on a pair of jean shorts and a cute tank top (I now have lots of clothes to choose from!) I did my make up and hair-without sweating from the heat of the blow dryer lol When I finished I felt confident. This weekend I'm going to the beach with my friends (which requires a bathing suit) and I'm also running the 5k mud run on Saturday! This is a whole new life!! haha Thank God!! I was real hesitant to post a picture of myself in a bathing suit; however, that is the biggest question I get asked. "WELLLLL, do you have loose skin???" People are so curious. Some people have a big stigma with the weight loss surgery - like since I had weight loss surgery I must have awful skin underneath my clothes. This is not the case. Don't let anyone tell you this is the easy way out. I've worked my butt off this past year. I work out a ton and make healthy eating choices. At 10 months out, I feel hungry just like anyone else! I'm able to eat junk food. Gaining back weight is not impossible However, I make good, healthy choices. The surgery is a fantastic TOOL, but its not a miracle. So I thought I would post this picture to show it's possible to lose over 90 pounds and not have a bunch of skin! Seeing these types of pictures motivated me to get my butt to the gym I wish everyone lots of success and happiness!! Picture 1: As you can see, I had serious stretch marks before. They have turned to white, but those are forever. However, I feel okay in a bikini. Beats the giant t-shirt I wore to the pool last year! Picture 2: I'm able to wear sundresses this summer! Yay! Picture 3: I have 3 beautiful younger sisters. I always felt like the "fat, ugly" sister. I feel like I am now the fun, older sister that I always wanted to be. The after picture is with my youngest sister before she goes off to prom! She looked beautiful. If you want to read any of my other posts, some links are below: http://www.verticals...eafter-picture/ http://www.verticals...es/#entry712587

Thanks for the nice compliment. I can't believe all the support this forum has brought me. it means so much to me that some of you see me as an inspiration....I share my stories in hopes of motivating people who are going through the same things I went through. HANG IN THERE!! Remember why you had the surgery in the first place. Find a person who will support you through this process. You can do it

Good for you! Glad to hear you've been so dedicated to exercising. I won't lie...I still weigh myself often. I don't freak out over it, but I do probably hop on the scale every morning just as part of my routine. It keeps me on track and motivated. That's just what works for me The clothes I've bought have been 5/6 pants and small or medium top depending on the style

YAY! way to go Congrats!

60 lbs in 3 months! yay! That's awesome. Congratulations I'm sure you are feeling great. I'm glad you have enjoyed my posts so much. It's truly humbling! Am I scared of gaining weight back? UM YES! haha Do I think about it all the time? Absolutely not. Look...if you had simply had the surgery, not followed the diet, not changed your lifestyle, not exercised at all, then yeah maybe you should feel more nervous about gaining the weight back. But that is so not the case. I don't know about you, but I have DRASTICALLY changed my lifestyle. I work at keeping this weight off every day. I have people in my life who motivate me to stay on track. Do I have off days where I eat unhealthy? Of course I do. That's life. Do I have weeks where I eat unhealthy....no! Because that would be falling back in my old ways. I read my posts from before the surgery. I think about how I felt before I had the surgery. I don't want to get back to that. I know that if I work hard and continue with the lifestyle I am living, the weight is going to stay off. Find something that motivates you. Figure out ways to "catch yourself" from falling back into old habits. My favorite quote is "Suffer the pain of discipline or suffer the pain of regret" Corny, but so true! Most importantly though...just enjoy your weight loss. You didn't have the surgery to be stressed out about gaining weight back all the time. Enjoy yourself and feel proud of your accomplishments. And yes...make some monthly posts! It's motivating and it's fun to look back on! Pretty sure I'm at no less than 1,000

Hope you are getting through your meltdown! 3 days post op I had a meltdown and just started crying for no reason...I totally freaked out and couldn't believe I had done this to myself. My mom and boyfriend thought I went off the deep end lol They calmed me down and I got over it. I was truly addicted to food and I had to mourn it. You won't regret it....sounds like you are already having fabulous success!! So glad you enjoyed my post Thanks for commenting!

Awesome! He's great and so is the staff! Hope you are having a good experience too!