LilMissDiva Irene

Hello LR, wow CONGRATS on your winning the battle over your HBP!!! That's a very awesome NSV!! Also, that's amazing them taking the rod out and you're being ok without it. That's incredible!

Hey sweetie, thanks for sharing this!!!! You ARE a superstar, and I'm sooo happy to hear your progressing well That's what this is all about, us getting our lives back to cherish all the little things we've missed out on along the way. Big BIG hugs and cheers on the other half of your journey!!

Heya girlie!! Well, hon ya just need to snap out of it! I totally agree with granny, this time of year *for me* has always been tough. I get distracted. So much food everywhere. The weather sucks so I have to do all my workouts indoors - which I dooo love a nice outside powerwalk now and then. Makes me feel a little bit sad, missing the sunshine. Setting yourself a routine will probably help. Start out with 30 minute workouts about 4-5x per week until you can build back into more. I know I hate the way I feel when I can't do mine. It also seems like if I'm not working out, I'm not doing ANYTHING right. Next, get yourself onto some kind of free food logging website. Logging my food always whips me back into shape. I know I hate writing down anything I'm not supposed to be eating, so I just skip over all that. Head straight for the healthy low calorie, low carb stuff. I'm always losing big when I do that. One last thing, I just posted this thread yesterday. Give it a try just one time! I'm telling you this has has helped me so many times in my weight loss periods. I never do the pouch test. LOL Why when I can eat solids and still get the same effect in the same amount of time? The Basics Bootcamp - check it out!! Good luck sweetie! If you're an Aceves patient then we have all gotta stick together and make sure we do the best we can to reach our goals. (((hugs)))

I'm curious to know, what would you say are the main reasons you had a weight gain? I'd say 21 Lbs is rather significant gain. I'm hopeful that keeping a good eye on the scale, my workouts and doing a good job watching what I'm eating for the most part will help keep the weight from creeping back up. I don't plan to be super rigid with my eating, but I'm hopeful that if I notice my scale going up more than a normal 5 Lbs bounce I will work toward getting it back off. Thank you in advance for any insight you might have! I'm just trying to avoid this if I can.

Heyyy now!!! Looking GREAT there lady! I looove your boots too!

Well, you've done amazing for your first year (almost)!!!! I just want to say, I think most of us here have that one person who finds it hard to fully accept who we have become, and feel that competitiveness toward us. Don't let that get to you. You already know now that you are smaller than her, and she knows it too. OH happy day!!

Best wishes on your final decision. It took me over a year and a half of deciding to finally have my lap band removed and revise to the Sleeve. Lots of my friends from another website were doing it, and I didn't want that to be the reason I did. I needed to make that decision for myself. I struggled for almost 3 years with my lap band. I'd lost about 50 Lbs with it and once that was off it slowly crept back up to within Lbs of my surgery weight. No bueno. I was just miserable and unhappy. I was never able to find my "sweet spot" others talk about. I'd had well over 20 fills/unfills. I had terrible night coughs and would PB constantly. The band and me just didn't work. I was revised to the Sleeve on 9/15/10. That was my new birth as I now look at it. I'm nowhere near the same person today that I was on that day. I'm happy, I'm thin, I'm healthy, and I don't have to worry about what the future holds anymore with the band around my stomach. It's tucked nicely in half (thats how the surgeon had to remove it!) in a box in my closet. There it rest in pieces. LMAO! If you'd like, feel free to friend me, send me questions or simply look around and read many of our stories. There's a great deal many of us amazing band to sleeve folks here and I don't think there's one I've seen that isn't glad at some point they did it.

You better believe I'd do it again... and again... and again... AND again!! I have never in my life known what it's like to have true freedom from food. I'm a real addict in every sense. The sleeve has taken away my real hunger, snuffed the head hunger most of the time (except TOM) but when head hunger does strike, I cannot eat nearly as much as I could before my sleeve. I can't eat a lot of sugar, fat or snacky type foods because it makes me sick. I cannot eat more than about .75 cups of food because if I do I'm sorry for the rest of the night. I don't feel hungry an hour after eating. I'm really satisfied after eating my small portion - I believe even more than I was pre sleeve. I was never feeling like I could get enough. Well now with my full signal I just push my plate away and I'm done. Even if there is only one bite left. I can't count how many times I've left one bite on my plate... LOL that would've NEVER happened before. I can basically eat anything I want, just not how much. I'm MUCH happier being able to be confident and happy with what I see in the mirror. It's great knowing I can go into any clothing store and fit the clothes in it. I can dress up, dress down any time I want without feeling like I'm limited to the tiny boutiques that all seem to sell the same style clothing. I can wear cute boots this winter with confidence they'll fit on my legs. I get called skinny all the time, and I admit I like it. I can wear tights or leggings and show most of my legs and not feel self conscious and wonder if people are thinking "oh she shouldn't be wearing that!!"... Though my marriage and my Hubby has always been great, loved me at any size I can see him admiring me more. Truthfully, I'm the largest woman he'd ever been with by far. He's always been attracted to thinner women (not sure why he chose me, but whatever! AND we got together I was already large) well now that I'm small he can't seem to get enough of me. LOL Life's sure a lot better for me now than a year ago. So, that and a million more reasons is why absolutely yes without a doubt I'd do it again.

Oh you chose a really good surgeon. She was amazing to me when I asked to speak with her in person and she answered all my questions - even the tough ones. I didn't choose her in the end, but I did give her serious consideration. All the best to you!!! Hugs and prayers! Don't forget to check in when you're up to it.

Less than a week already? Wow time sure does fly!!! Miss Lady you are going to be a force, I have no doubt. I totally agree with Julie, please note - the weight most likely won't fall off as quickly as you'd like. Hey if it does, more power to you!! That would be awesome! Just know, don't beat yourself up or feel like a failure if it doesn't. Just come here for support and Celebrate your losses no matter how much or how little. Every single pound lost is forever and is just as deserving of happiness as any others! I'm praying for you!! Please PLEASE check in as soon as you can! I will be lookin out for that. Okay - and like I always say... Sip, Walk, Rest and Repeat. WHOOOOTTT!!! Oh yeah, I'm savin this seat right here next to me on the losers bench for ya.

I have an Aahh Bra and it's ok. I don't think it's really great for work or anything, but it's a really nice comfy lounging bra. It's a little high for just a lounging bra. I really don't yay or nay for recommendation, I just know it's not too bad. I don't hate it, and I don't particularly love it either.

Hurraahhhh!!! I know I didn't even feel like anything touching my lips for the first full week. I didn't miss sipping and had to be forced. LOL I did it though because I knew I had to or I'd be sorry. You'll do great! You're in my prayers - and please let us know how you're doing! Walk Sip Rest Repeat

Me personally didn't start doing hardcore workouts until 4 months out. Not sure why, I was tired a lot and never felt like doing them. I started to get a little depressive like, because I'd been working out for eons before my surgery - since I was a teenager. I had that down pat, just never was able to get my food intake in order. What I did do right out of surgery was just some walking outside or on the treadmill. I began to realize this was not quite enough. When I finally started to get back into my routines, I started a little slow. I did about 30 on my elliptical or 30 on my stationary bike. I started bumping it up pretty quickly because I did notice the more I'd workout the better I felt physically. My moods lifted and within I'd say about 6 weeks beyond getting my workout groove back I was full steam ahead. I was doing about 90 minutes workouts per day. It was around this time I started the Couch to 5K program too. I also do the Callanetics (google it) and some DVD's such as Billy Blanks, Leslie Sansone or Jillian Micheals. Those are all fun. It's just for me a matter of finding something I enjoy. I enjoy most of all workouts so that wasn't hard for me to do. On the machines I just plug in my MP3 player with all my favorite songs and before I know it an hour has passed.

Well said and I agree 100%.

Thank you! Yep I'm 38 today. Yayyy!!! I had the Lap Band done on 2/11/08 then revised to VSG on 9/15/11.

I get lots of questions regarding how to get back on track. This journey is tough, and one thing I've learned is that I'm not perfect - but if I'm going to move past that I have to figure out how to forgive myself. For me, the main factor in my obesity was my inability to overcome this. So I would give up and gain all my weight back, and even more. I cannot do this to myself!!! I have to pick myself back up and keep it moving. I didn't go through 2 torturous painful weight loss surgeries to just keep giving up. Heck no!!! So, along my Sleeve Journey, when I noticed I wasn't doing well and needed to get back on track this is what I did: The BASICS BOOTCAMP: For 5 STRICT DAYS I will eat only... Proteins: Seafoods, Poultry and eggs, Dairies, nuts/seeds including Peanut Butter. Veggies: Green only. Fruits: None. Breads/Cereals/Other Carbs: None. Fluids: One gallon of Water (128 oz.) Protein drinks (RTD or Powder). Avoid: Sugar and Sodium Once the 5 days are over, I am pretty much over the Sugar Carb Demon. Don't get me wrong, I don't hate carbs! I do need them to live a healthy life and since I workout a lot it is important I have them. However, I need GOOD carbs. Whole grains, fruits, veggies... But I don't need processed sugars. White carbs, in cereals, breads, rice... etc. Lots will do the 5 day pouch test. liquids only is simply from being threatened with my life (post op) or if I'm just feeling sick and to let my Sleevie rest. That's it. Good luck everyone! This journey is tough, but nothing worth doing is ever easy. Xoxo

That is AWESOME!!! Lady, you have SO MUCH to look forward to! Time to celebrate!!!

These are all fantastic, and like RebaC mentioned - most of the things I can do now didn't even dawn on me that I couldn't before. Life good!!! Keep rockin your sleeves everyone!!

Well they have double and triple zero's but I'm not forcibly trying to lose anymore. But in case anyone might want to get there...

I think this is true for other weight loss forums too.

That is very interesting! I've never considered clasping from the back... I'll have to give it a try.

Being apprehensive is very normal. You just have to realize this and keep it moving. You will be changing your whole life and the simple unknown is the scariest thing to all of us. Stay positive, keep reading the stories here but also prepare yourself for all sides, including complications. You'll need to know warning signs for your own well being. Best of wishes to you, and I'll keep you in my prayers.

Amen to all these... being obese is tough on our souls AND our soles... LOL We have so much to be proud of!!!

Hey everyone!!! IT'S FEEL GOOD FRIDAY!!! It's been a long time, but it's time to get back to positivity and seeing the forest for the trees. Tell me, what is that one thing that you are SO PROUD you can do now that you've lost some weight with your VSG, that you were unable to do before? For me, I'd say its all internal. I have found a voice within me I never knew existed. I feel like I constantly have to express how wonderful WLS is - it has given so many their lives back. Giving encouragement and always reminding everyone living the day to day with it that though perhaps your one moment may not be the greatest, don't forget the positives you are living because of it. HAPPY FEEL GOOD FRIDAY Y'ALL!!!!!

I just love watching everyone's face mold into such a lovely shape. You've done well in only 3 months - CONGRATS!!!