Kristina J.

Look at your waist!!!!! You look great!!! Congratulations!!!

I would help you out, but I avoided muffin tops like the plague! Lol Stuffed my rolls into mom jeans long before motherhood just so I could cover up my belly! I have before and "durings" on my profile page though

Congratulations!!! You're stunning!!!

Same here! We had two phones, a laptop and an iPad. We left them in the hotel room multiple times (not even in the safe) when we went out and in the hospital room during surgery while my husband went to eat. No one bothered anything. I never really even gave it a second thought! Lol I probably should have... At least should have used the safe in the hotel room. I mean, it was there, empty, just waiting to be used!! Lol But I wouldn't worry about it!

Oh not me! When I go, I go for the gold!!! Big fat cheeseburger meal, large sized with a full sugar 32oz coke!!! Oh wow, can't even describe how much I don't miss that old life! Lol Now you couldn't pay me to take a bite of that crap. I'm too afraid I'd want it all over again

I don't know, I'm with the OP on this one. I have a weird reaction to the whole "I did this so that I could live and not diet" thing. I promise, I'm not directing this at the one poster that said this in this thread. Honestly, no personal offense intended, as it's really meant in a more general sense! Especially considering I'm only 2 months out, my opinions on this may change as I keep changing, but here's my take on the "living" vs "dieting" thing... I don't want to be on a diet for the rest of my life. That isn't my plan or my intention. However, for me, eating like a "normal" person has always been "dieting!" It's not necessarily sticking to a rigid food plan and regularly exercising, because let's face it, if that's how I dieted, I may not have needed the sleeve! But for me, regularly making consciously healthy choices (in both food and activity) and only indulging in moderation IS dieting! Again, maybe not GOOD dieting lol but that's how I've lived on any diet that's ever worked for me. And while it feels like a "diet" to my food addict brain, it's really just healthy, food conscious living. In a lot of ways, I do feel like I will be on this "diet" for the rest of my life, but only because I know the downward food spiral I end up on when I over indulge or indulge at all in my trigger foods. Much the way an alcoholic makes a decision every day to not get drunk/drink, and an ex smoker makes the decision not to have a cigarette, I believe I will have to make a choice everyday to live a healthy life, including indulging carefully and moderately and only on foods that don't act as triggers for me. And perhaps I do actually fall into the category of "not dieting" because I will indulge for some cravings, but after a lifetime of poor choices and massive portions, I know that I am a food addict. Along with my capacity being reduced, I also have to focus on what, and how much, I'm willing to put into my body, and that has always been "dieting" to me. So the whole "I didn't do this to be on a diet" thing bugs me, because for me, it implies a lack of thought of effort about what goes in our bodies. However, my "diet" follow the lines of a lot of the people who "refuse to live on a diet," it just seems to take this food addict much more conscious effort! Lol Just another reminder that so much of this journey is mental/emotional! And everyone has to find what works for them!

I love this Quinoa Mediterranean Salad I stared making. It's along the same lines as your recipe! I don't measure anything either, but I use cooked quinoa (I cook mine in chicken broth), and add red bell pepper, red onion, peeled diced cucumber, canned drained and chopped artichoke hearts, kalamata olives and some feta. I toss it all in a dressing of olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, pepper and 1/2 - 1 packet of Splenda. Then chill it. So yummy!!!! I add grilled chicken to it for a meal or just eat a little as is for a snack. I love it!! I'll have to try your recipe too!!!

I have heard that people can only find them at Costco in certain areas, but if your Costco has them, the Mahi Mahi burger patties are AMAZING. They're a staple in my diet now! Lol I liked them even more than the salmon burgers! I also get all my Premier Protein Shakes from Costco!!

As long as your bariatric doc is willing to see you, I think you'll do just fine having surgery in Mexico and following up at home with a different doctor. Hundreds of people from this forum do it, including myself! In fact, it's a great thing that you already have that lined up. A lot of people do it later when they realize they need more support or if they start having issues! Mexico surgery certainly isn't for everyone, and I understand that, but you'll do great, especially with the planning you've already done!! But please please please, stick to the post op diet your surgeon gives you. They plan their procedures on the pre and post op diets they give you, so it's essential to follow the as directed!!

I am just shy of 2 months post op and down a total of 56lbs including pre-op!!!! I feel incredible and have so much more energy. And as of this week, I am down from a size 26/28 top and 24W jeans to size XL top and 16 jeans!!! SIXTEENS!!!! Was going to wait until 2 months or Onederland for this post, but its been a long week and I'm going to focus on the wonderful things that have been happening in my life! Love this sleeved life and all the amazing friends I've made along the way!

Side note?! I wouldn't have had to wait much longer to post, had I waited!!! It's a ONEderful day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

^^^ THIS! Why even question it or worry about it? The local doc won't give you a food plan because they aren't your surgeon. There are hundreds of different diets out there. Don't compare and just do what your surgeon tells you. Mine was longer than a lot of people who were sleeved at the same time, but if you trust a doctor to remove 85% of your stomach, you should trust them to provide you with the appropriate diet!!!

I actually picked 3 goal weights lol. My doctor also never discussed goal weight with me so I'm left to my own devices. My highest weight was 269 a few years ago. My starting weight was 258, and as of this morning, I'm at 200. My "must meet -- no matter WHAT" goal is 170. It would still be overweight, but it's where I was at my low point with my lap band and I know that I was healthy and FELT normal at that weight, even still being overweight. My actual/official goal is 150, because its approximately 100lbs from my starting weight and exactly 100lbs down from the day I scheduled surgery. And my "stretch goal" is 130. Since that would be an ideal weight given my 5'1 tiny but very curvy frame. At 58lbs down, my DDD cup size hasn't shrunk at ALL, so I'm guessing I'm still going to have a pretty big bust to factor in! Lol So I guess I pre-negotiated all of my goals! Lol But honestly, I really just wanted to feel good again. Get my energy back, become and active person and use that energy to be a better mom to my toddlers... and with that, I've already been successful. The rest is bonus!

Wow, thank you all SO much! I really appreciate all your congratulations! I haven't shopped in "regular" sizes in so long. And farmer, there is SO much to know for after surgery that it can't really be summed up in a paragraph, but I can definitely say it is the hardest, most challenging, difficult, rewarding and amazing gift you'll ever give yourself!!! Good luck to you!!!!

Awww lol Thank you!!! You're such a great support. I'm pretty lucky to call you a friend

Thank you so much!!! I can't believe how much better I feel already!! Excited to see where life goes from here!!

Are you f-ing kidding me?!? I have EVERYTHING that YOU sent me!!!! I don't delete conversations, so I have all of ours from the last 2 months, including pictures and forwards. You are a liar who has hurt so many people and apparently stirred up just enough mess to get your boyfriend back. And the ONLY reason I hadn't sent it to Garcia on my own was because I had promised YOU that I wouldn't!!! But you've made it perfectly clear how much my friendship means to you, and how foolish I was for thinking there was something to salvage. I actually felt BADLY for not being in touch with you this week while I navigated my way out of your BS retraction and was thinking it would be worth salvaging what's left of our friendship, but at this point, I couldn't be more done with this, him or YOU. Seriously, good luck but don't contact me or have your friend contact me again. I can handle a lot of crap from people, but this is too much even for me!!

Not gonna lie, I feel a little cheated that all they had when I was there were "meat Popsicles" hahaha But I did just fine without them! Lol I'm sure you'll be ok. Sounds like you did well quitting as soon as you realized it! And I doubt it'll effect you too much even if you did get a few strands. But maybe something worth mentioning to the coordinators so that they can either talk to the hotel about maybe carrying another flavor instead or at least letting the patients know to be aware of it!

I was the same way! Lol It seemed like no matter when I emailed her, I received a response within half an hour, at the latest. She seriously must not sleep! Hahaha