Aussiegirl

Welcome to the Single Sleevers forum. Get ready for some more attention. I still dont see it but I have been hanging out with my wingman lately and he says there are always guys checking me out...but hopefully I will realise when a good guy does come along... Good luck with your surgery

Glenda, glad we can be of help. The surgery has given such a new lease on life. food was something that consumed my life, eatting etc. I feared life post-op before surgery, I didnt know how easy it would be. My main comment about the surgey and why it feels/felt easy for me is that the biggest obstacle pre-surgery was my head was not ready to make the change. When I had the surgery I was ready and needed the change, the new stomach just helps me stick to my committment. Good luck with your surgery..happy to answer any questions.

Hi Jazzie, Welcome aboard I honestly think that the pre-op diet on Opti-fast was the hardest part of the whole process. Surgery was painful but not as painful as I expected and I was prepared for it. The Opti-fast was just horrible, eatting that horrible food day in and day out, I was so glad when I could have clear liquids for some taste. It will get better and once you are over your recovery period and back on normal food, this period will seem like a blip on the radar. At 2 weeks out you are probably too close for a food funeral but it does help, mine was a night out with my friends where we ate soo much seafood, prawns, oysters, fish, crab, lobster...so yummm...And I can eat all these now, just not over indulge Good luck with your surgery!

Thanks Lissa! I weigh in kilos and hitting the 100kg mark is pretty much like you guys hitting the 100pound mark...I did that at Easter, and felt great. You deserve to Celebrate at 100 pounds it is an awesome feet. Celebrate by dancing the night away

Checking back in, I went out with my wingman on Friday night, he was helping me see what kinda guys are out there. Had the best night, got hit on like 4 times in one night......not sure any were 100% serious, but more attention than I ever got pre-op. Guess I am starting to get sexy...will embrace that

I have loved reading this thread, at 7 months out, I am starting to look at what like looks like a year from now, 2 years etc. Thanks for all your feedback.

Hello there fellow Aussie. I havent hidden the fact that I had surgery from anyone that has asked. Before surgery I was a bit cagey about why I was going to hospital, keeping it to close friends and those that must know, ie boss etc. Since surgery if I have been asked I have said the truth. I am coming off a really high BMI (53) or 150 kgs, so most people that know me know how much I have been trying and failing for years and suffered many many exercise injuries. And after loosing 52kgs, which puts me about where you are, most people have also seen the hard work I still have had to put in, working out twice a day and hard sessions. I dare anyone to say I took the easy way out.....this is not the easy way out.

I think the answers to most of these depend on your age and skin. I do find my skin isnt as dry, but I am also better hydrated post surgery. I say exercise is the best way to maximise weight lost and help with the "squishyness", as early as your doctor allows. Definitely start walking ASAP. Exercise is great for building tone and burning calories. And your period usually comes in times when you are stressed and surgery usually is a stressful situation. But the doctors will work around it.

Thank fully the only the person that can sabotage me is me... However my gripe is the number 98.7 (kgs)...it is has been on my scale for the last 2 weeks...i really want to see another number, I am so bored of 98.7.

I love reading about how other sleevers do it. I am not at goal, tho still consider myself a success at 7 months about and around 110 pounds lost. My day looks much like this, atleast the work days Weekends are a bit of different story. Wake at 6am and get ready for work. Have my tablets with some Water. Get to work around 7-7.30am, have some breakfast (now started having natural yoghurt and muesli). Sip on green tea most the morning, whiile doing some work. About 11am I do a gym session either on my own or with a trainer for an hour. About 80% cardio with 20%strength/weights Try to get through a water while training. Then lunch is usually some Protein on crackers, like ham, cheese and tomato wholemeal crackers Afternoon tea is usually a piece of fruit Then a 5km walk home, working on running more and more of the distance Evening meal, usually protein and veggies. Spend some timein the evening in the spa ( i have one in my apartment complex) and make sure I continue drinking water. I find drinking water helps with keeping the snack thoughts away....well most of the time..

Yes it is time consuming at first, especially in the first few months. Not only are you learning what works for your sleeve, getting enough calories in to survive and avoid exhaustion and to support what ever your work out regime is. Like PDXman said stick to the tenenants of the sleeve, especially early. If you can learn the rules to YOUR sleeve it does get easier. At 7 months out I dont spend alot of time worrying about how many calories I am consuming. I base my food consumption on my energy levels and how I am feeling. Tho I think I sit around 1200 calories a day, and work out twice a day. I do occasionally have a un diet friendly snack, but I decided at the beginning of this I was not dieting, I was living a healthy life choice, and my sleeve fully supports this (especially seeing as those unhealthy foods are not well tolerated).. Anyway..it does get easier, the first few months are hard and where you learn your sleeve lessons.

You go girl!!!! Enjoy it, you deserve it, work your hot bod

I was like you, infact I have never had a Protein drink. Early on tho I did have flavourless powder that I would mix in with Soups. Otherwise I would have concentrate on protein sources youghurt, cheese, smoked salmon, pureed chicken/meat etc. I did loose alot of hair at the 4 month stage, now at almost 7 months post op it is starting tio come back. I have lost over 110 pounds in those 7 months, stalling a bit now but have lost really well, despite not having had protein drinks.

I didnt start getting out loud compliments til I had lost about 60 pounds. I dont know if people didnt notice or if they didnt want to ask. Sometimes people are more afraid to ask out loud if you have lost weight as most often it is a difficult thing to ask soomeone. The whole thing about, are they trying to loose weight? Are they sick? Do you want to acknowledge there was a weight l issue in the first place. Now at 110 pounds lost everyone is telling me I am looking awesome. Tho the most honest of people say, I look great but still have a way to go (with about another 60pounds) to go. But more people are telling me i look happier and lighter. I have been honest about how I have lost the weight, yes surgery but also ALOT of exercise and pushing myself. It may take while but it WILL happen, and when it does you will be lucky to go a day when 5 people dont tell you how great you are going.

I wanted to loose about the same as you. I am not 6 and a bit months in and have lost 112 pounds to date. I think it is possible to keep loosing. I am hopeful that I will make it before the year is up. I have had to work hard, lots of exercise and still watching what I eat. I think you have to work it especially in the early stages. It has got a bit harder to loose nowadays but I feel like I have already won as I am fitter and healthier than I have been in decades.

Way to go VJ! I just hit that mark too, first time since I was a teenager... All the best with your goals!

I realised today that I have no concept of what size I am. I have had a few examples in the last few days: - I bought cloths while shopping, which I thought would be too small for me based on their size, tried them on when I got home and they are almost too big. (Guess it is time to start trying cloths on again) - I saw a picture my mum took on the weekend, and was surprised at how "small" my body was, almost not like mine, not what I see in the mirror. How do others deal with this?

I took 2 weeks and then ended up having 1/2 days for the 3rd week. I thought I was fine to go back after 2 weeks but as soon as I got in the office it was hard work... Do you have the option to shorten your leave, ie return early if you feel up to it?

Well Well Well, sex is definitely different being skinnier I have had an old FWB visit for the last few days (he is also a friend before any benefits started) anyway it was different, good but different. I wonder what it will be like when I actually reach my goal hmmmm I can only hope. But seeing as he leaves today, guess it will be a while before I get to try this body out again....unless someone serious comes along *fingers crossed* All this good stuff just makes me want more......grrr lol

Looking good Lissa!

Good post Janerose. I am 36 and approached the surgery in a similar way. It was a way to change my life, I followed my post op "diet', ie food stages. However I never went into this with the standard approach. I allow myself to have treats if I want them, which about my body almost never craves anymore, except for the day before and first day of the time of month (TMI sorry), when it is a free for all on the junk food. But I usually find that when i give in an eat things, especially sweet things (my pre-op kryptonite) I usually regret it and feel ill. My craves things that is good for it, it wants veggies, it wants lean Protein sources. I also put exercise in my regime as soon as permitted and have been working out 2 times a day 5 days a week pretty consistently too. It was always a lifestyle change not just another way to loose weight. Working really well for me now....108 pounds gone since Sept. Good luck with your journey

Agree with OredonDaisy, avoid milk and ice cream early on. Dairy made me ill for quite a while after surgery, and still cant have more than 2 spoonfuls of ice cream or yoghurt now a days. Clear Soups are really nice early on, warm and also finally some flavour. Icy poles were also my saviour early on as well, it was the first thing the hospital gave me when I was finally allowed liquids. Keep your spirits up, it will get better.

Hope the doc is right Louise. Where were you sleeved? Which doctor? Early on it was easier to drink warmer liquids or room temp drinks. Early on I used to keep a bottle of Water near me all the time so I could drink my way through the day rather than trying to get it in set times. Happy to give some advise if you need from a fellow aussie.

Also a single sleever. 6 months post op and starting to think it is time to not be single. I do go back and forth between wanting to share the awesomeness I am now or waiting to my complete awesomeness when I get close to goal. But if someone comes along I am sure I wont complain.

6 months just passed for me. Cant believe it. Life is hugely different but also the same. At the 6 month mark had lost about 106 pounds, with about another 65 to go, so still a bit of a journey to go. I exercise 2 times a day and am fitter and healthier than i remember being.