circa

first things first - THROW THE SCALE AWAY!
I weigh myself about once a month. I don't care what the scale says, as long as its not a bigger number than it was the previous month.
If you want to break a stall, I found the easiest way is to start over. Do an expedited post-op. Go back to liquids, purees, mushies, protein. Lose the carbs, up the calories and kick up the exercise!

congrats! I didn't know Dr. Gluck was doing the sleeve now? Very cool!

good luck!

These are all very genuine concerns to have. The surgery won't fix the sweet tooth - YOU have to do that. The sleeve is a tool - much like a hammer. The hammer can't build a house, but it can make it easier. This is not a magical process. You have to do the work. The sleeve facilitates portion control - you have to decide what you're going to do with that portion control. There's more work than laying on the table involved.
I can say that after the sleeve, my body only craves protein. I didn't have much of a sweet tooth before, and I really haven't got one now. When you get down to brass tax, the body will tell you what it needs. Its up to you to listen to it.

I did. I did go out and have a good time. There were a couple awkward moments because they were talking about people at work that were of size and were not appropriate with their size. What I mean by that is, when you know that you're of size, you probably shouldn't try to sit in a little mini armchair and then be all shocked when you don't fit. And I'm not talking about a normal size chair - I'm talking about a kids chair that has arms that I wouldn't sit in if I weighed a quarter of what I do now. Then they apologized to me for making the comment - and I was like....uhm - why apologize to me? I'm not trying to squeeze my ass into a hello kitty chair. But other that it was pretty fun.

ugh! so true! I took on too much and split one of my incisions open! Luckily it was just top layer of skin after stitches were out - but still! I did too much and that's what happens! Take it easy! We still have a lot of rebuilding to do!
What you didn't do is fall off the wagon and let it run you over - that in itself is a HUGE victory! Congrats on that!
Let your emotions out! Stuffing the weight of a cheesecake down on them makes them 10 times as bad!

I can asparagus like candy! I made it into a soup the other night, roasting in oven at first for the flavor, then simmering in veggie broth until super soft. Blend with an immersion blender and VOILA! I added 1/2 scoop of the unflavored Unjury powder for protein and didn't even taste it. Looking forward to summer!

LilMissDiva has an amazing boot camp basics -
http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/28139-the-basics-boot-camp/
That's the link to it

Yes, those pictures are from before I was sick. I was a size 8.
I haven't done much shopping lately - I kept my clothes on the way up - it wasn't all that long ago (5 years since i got sick, 4 since I put on the weight) so most things that are basics are still relevant. I did go buy a couple of shirts and a jacket at Kohls which was no big deal - I knew what size i needed and grabbed them and left.

You're doing great! You recognize the head hunger and you're dealing with it! The great thing is, you can have this stuff - you just have to make wise choices with it. A meaty pizza and toss the crust. mongolian style chinese food or make it yourself. Everything is accessable, you just have to make it work for you. Stir fry with chicken with the sauce on the side. Congrats on your progress so far!

Everyone recovers differently, either due to pain tolerance, complications, desire, or a combination of them. I was full of energy on day 4. Haven't stopped since.

Are you sure you were sleeved? JK! It is good to hear you grabbed that ball and ran!

You are absolutely amazing!

Well... Since I lost weight...guys won't talk to me near as much. Before they were more interested in me and my out going personality. Now they ask my friends about me. They say I'm too intimidating. WTH??

You may have stalled, its normal while your body figures things out. I'm at that point. I pulled my yoga pants out of the dryer and put them on and they were TIGHT. Then I noticed that my hubby dried them on high heat - they shrunk a little haha.

My wife and her family eat anything and everything and are skinny as rails. They have no idea what or why I did what I did and I can't really expect them to. In a way, I'm happy they don't understand as I would not wish an obese life on anybody knowing the struggles internal and external I have dealt with my entire life. It has been an independent journey, but now that I have lost so much weight, they are seeing the person I have always wanted to be and they are now understanding. It's one of those things, I think, that they can't see until you are on the other side. But until then, you just need to push through it and know the rewards will be coming.
They have been supportive because they love me, but that doesn't mean they understand, and that is OK.

try maybe switching to the walmart brand? It seems to have less of an aftertaste.
I live on sobe lifre water and walmart cherry limeade

My hubby is going with me

I found them at Walgreens - I got 2 boxes - they seem rather hard to find!

That's good you'll have something to wear!! I tossed it aaaaallllllll. I decided I was just never going to be small again. (not what I WANTed, just trying to be realistic.) My smallest clothes are 22/24 which do not fit even close. That'll be fun TOSSING THEM!! WOO HOO!! Aim for those 6's baby!!!

always weigh in the AM, after you go to the bathroom and before you drink anything - however, remember, a woman's body weight can change from day to day by around 9 lbs just based on water retention.
Muscle mass the same size as a fat mass does weigh more. 10 lbs of fat takes up more room than 10 lbs of muscle.
Don't weigh every day. I'm pushing myself to actually do away with my scale for the first month. Its hard, but that's what I'm wanting to do!

I always eat before I bake - then i don't have any interest in eating it.
Have you tried going to work out before you go to work?
Congrats on your success! You've done amazingly!

definitely attend the seminars! This is where you will get the medical information on each procedure and what limitations, side effects - both good and bad, from. Its important to base your decision on what YOU wish to receive out of the procedure - all will help you lose weight. None are magic. You still have to do the work. But its the difference between building a house using your bare hands, or having a hammer to pound in those nails. Here are some of the major points:
Lap Band - removable, adjustable, foreign body, can errode, less overall weight loss, no large pills.
Gastric Bypass - reversable (although not easily) fast immediate weight loss, chance of dumping syndrome, rerouting of internal organs, malabsorption, extra vitamins needed for life, no NSAIDS, not suggested for those with acid reflux.
Sleeve - not reversable, steady weight loss (between band and bypass), removal of 85% of your stomach (including part of stomach that produces hunger-inducing hormone ghrelin) , anatomy stays in same order you were given, no foreign bodies, can be used as phase 1 of a duodenal switch - which adds malabsorption to the procedure, few pharmaceutical restrictions, can help end acid reflux.
These are what I received from one fo the seminars I went to - what's funny is, for me, the Sleeve was the most appealing, even though they were actually pressuring for people to have the bypass.
I know people that have had each of the surgeries. Of these, I know people that have succeeded and people that have failed - with each and every one - and its not because of the surgery, it was because they didn't address their own personal issues. If you absolutely cannot stay away from sugary foods, maybe the bypass will be right for you - at least there's a consequence with that one. If you're just an overeater, sleeve may be beneficial to you, especially if you have other issues, like CONSTANTLY feeling hungry. If you've got less than 100 lbs, to lose and you're just looking for some portion control, maybe its the band. You have to decide for you.

Its a difficult thing - deciding whether to tell people or not. You're under enough stress with dealing with the situation, you don't need naysayers and fearmongers crawling up your....leg.
If you feel obligated to tell them, I'd wait until the last minute - that way they don't have time to weigh on you about it. Let them know you've done your research, made your decision and its a topic not open for discussion or negative comments - and stick by that! They may have questions, which is normal, but you can answer those questions with an email or showing them a website.
Bottom line, you know your body better than anyone and you've decided what your body needs. Good luck!

Nope. I couldn't feel anything different at all and still can't--just can't eat as much. :-) Oh happy day!!