Queen of Crop

To Jane Rose: Yes, you have to just go where you feel you want to be health wise and scale wise....for me, I thought 153 would be my ideal weight; now I'm here and I think, 138 is what I want to do. But I also put a lot of merit into my blood work and how I feel. You'll find your way; congratulations BTW for doing this at age 63! How exciting for you. A whole new chapter for us at this age. To Rootman: Yeah!!! I love that you posted your situation on this.....wish more guys would jump in. And is that really YOU in the Before photo? As for your wife; keep on loving her like you do and she'll figure out you;re her guy. You sound like a very special person......happy to hear you are getting so toned....that's my new priority as well.

Aloha Ssilian....thanks for checking the blog....actually the Before photos are scattered within the blog, but if you want to see the most dramatic, go to April 15 blog, or check out my photo gallery here on the forum.....I am so fortunate not to have had any sagging skin.....I have no idea how it bounces back, but I'm grateful for it!

Thanks for the reply; it's interesting because I eat so little I just thought it will keep coming off until I'm ready to say enough! So your situation is humbling....I'm just going to keep up the exercise and hope it will continue at 1 lb a week....stay tuned and if you need any moral support, just let me know!

Good for you!!!! And you have your priorities correct....however, I am 58, had the surgery done 7 months ago and have been so happy that not only do my hips and knees feel better, my BP and cholesterol are good AND on top of that, I look so much better and am feeling those sensual feelings again......we are very similar....I was 223 when I started.....take a look at my before photos on my blog.....and now; huge difference. So set your sights high! There are lots of surprises in store for you....good luck, June is right around the corner!

I'm your gal on this one!!! I had my surgery done in Germany (I live in Hawaii) while on a year long trip! After the surgery I took the train back to Amsterdam for 3 weeks, then started traveling FULL TIME for the next 4 months! And my loss was steady and good. It wasn't always easy because I couldn't find a lot of things in Europe that we have here and sometimes my energy level would wain. But I would recommend packing some Protein liquid shots and mixing that with Water or juice and some Protein powder and Protein Bars so you be sure and get your protein in. There is always yogurt in Europe so that worked for me for Breakfast (and the upside is you won't be interested in the pastries after your surgery). Italy was a tough one, so I always found a place that had minestrone soup; I think I was the only tourist there that had no Pasta, pizza or wine! But the gelato is divine. The toughest part will that you will be eating very little and cannot take the leftovers with you usually; and so many of the restaurants are locally owned and they seem so hurt when you don't eat! I would suggest a little flexible cooler and put things that you know you can eat in it for the plane. For me, I always had to have some saltine crackers or pretzel thins to help keep my stomach settled. I never worried about calories while traveling; it was all about protein and what my tummy could tolerate. Just eat slowly and forget about the alcohol for now; it probably won't taste good anyway. I am chronically A YEAR IN THE LIFE OF A SLEEVER on my Sunday blog, which is sort of a travel / weight loss blog; you might want to take a look at the link below and look at months Nov -Feb and you will see I was in many different countries and I made it work! I am now 10 lbs from goal..... Good luck; and you'll do just fine!

I've been using the Pure Protein shots (you can get them in the 25 or 42 gram bottles and there are other brands too, just check at Target or GNC). I just pour one in a glass in the morning (it's a little thick and sweet) and mix in some cranberry juice to make a full glass (8 or 9 oz) and I just work on that all day, little sips here and there. I'm at the point now where I probably only get 50 grams of protein in a day, but my blood work is all good at 7 months out. But it's easier than a shake in my opinion.

At Coops: wow, we are almost identical in our weight loss and our goals! I've lost 72, you 73, I have 10 you have 11 to go.......good for us and thanks for the encouragement! At Jimmygotsoul......oh wow, I feel like an entirely new person, this is the BEST thing I ever did! I am loving my life.....if you have a chance, check out my blog (I am doing a blog on a YEAR IN THE LIFE, outlining each week...right now I am on Week 29....are you one week out? This week I talk about looking back on those first days......you have an exciting year in front of you! And you're in your 20's....wow this will change your life! Good for you!

I'm here to tell you that YES! You will! I am loving buying and wearing sexy (but tasteful) things again....hmmm, wonder if I ever really did before I was fat for so long....but it does make a difference in how you feel about yourself. I posted a little more about this on my Sunday update (link below) and I also talk about how the first few weeks felt then and how I feel now looking back on that time. Check it out if you can. And if you haven't registered on my site, you might want to, next week I am going to talk a lot about Should you tell or not....so either sign up, or check back next Sunday. If you haven't seen my blog before and you're a little new to this, go to the ABOUT page first.

I am! At least lingerie; it feels great to throw out all my dumpy under pants and matronly bras and buy cute sexy things....even if I am 58! I just finished my Sunday update (week 29 out of 52 and I'm 10 lbs from goal!) and I talk about that and other body things a bit. Have a visit if you're interested....I also have a link to a wonderful Hawaiian performer we saw last night.

Just weighed myself and posted my weekly Sunday update and am only 10 lbs from the goal set by the CDC. I have a link to their site on my blog (link to that blog below my name), along with some info on lingerie....if you have a chance, stop by and take a look. It's a gorgeous day here in Hawaii ne, and life is good! Aloha!

Congratulations newfoundlove......it's so interesting reading the posts of those who have just been sleeved.....takes me right back there to my first weeks and how surreal it all seemed......I was in Amsterdam at the time when I had mine done, so being in a foreign country, having had the surgery (less than a month from research to surgery!) and then going through all the baby steps.....seems like such a long time ago now (it's been 7 months). But hearing the stories of the first days is nice in a way......you have SO much to look forward to! You have a great attitude and you'll be just fine. BTW, we have friends in Mulkiteo; what a charming little town!

@ Shapeshifter.....thanks for your input; very well stated; you write beautifully. I admire your courage to be completely honest with everyone and you shared some very good points. And as we all have determined, everyone is different. If I had cancer, I would handle it the same way I handle this; telling a select few because that works for me. I don't want people seeing 'cancer' when I visit with them, the same as I don't want them to see my WLS. I want to talk about other (in my opinion) things that interest me and my connection to them, not what is going on with my body.

I think you might want to consider working this into your reply: "If I DON"T have this surgery, I will die of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, stroke, diabetes, or many other problems and complications that stem from obesity"....this is about getting healthy.....lookin' good is just one of the many benefits!

Today I officially hit a 70 lb weight loss - I have 12 more lbs to lose before hitting the top of a normal weight range and BMI for my height. I am SO happy with my progress and I look so much better in clothes....I'm in a size 10! And my boobs look OK in a bra; BUT without the bra they are really sagging. I haven't done any research on this yet.....but does anyone know how to either perk them up or do I have to have breast reduction done? I'm a 34B which I like; but they are so droopy...... Can anyone point me to others who have had this problem?

For me, I was very selective. I agree with Lissa that telling everyone might help remove the stigma of WLS, and I am a 'born again' advocate for this surgery as I am convinced it is the ONLY way to get healthy for some people and I sometimes want to shout at the top of my lungs how great it is. But it is a personal choice and I felt that I didn't want to discuss my weight, or any of my body parts with lots of people. I didn't when I was heavy and I don't now. When people compliment me, I quickly say thanks! And you look great too and change the subject....I want to be looked at as normal and it works for me. I told my husband, my sister and 4 good friends. I think you have to be careful because as much as we don't want to admit it, people do judge other people and in my opinion, unless they know you really really well, this is what they will see and remember; not you as a whole. Just my humble opinion.

The body is an amazing thing!!! I have had people ask me if I had a face lift! Funny! But who knows where my extra chin went???? But the skin will often just readjust itself.....the arms; hey even thin people have jiggly arms if you don't use weights. One I think is really helpful is where you hold both weights over your head (while you are standing) and then slowly lower them in back of your head. I think it's really good for the upper arms. I am almost 60 and just wore a strapless dress (photo posted on my blog - website below) this past weekend. Felt great!!!!

Aloha Brenda.....I am also 5'3" and was 223 lbs when I was sleeved on Oct 25. At 7 weeks out I had lost 22 lbs and was THRILLED. Think about that.....when was the last time you lost 22 lbs in less than 2 months? And even though you have stalled, it happens to a lot of us and it will start coming off again. Honest. You won't be gaining it back, I'll tell you that. And every day you will get a little stronger in the exercise department. I honestly didn't exercise for 4 months after the surgery because I was traveling through Europe! So I was walking, but not doing anything aerobic. Now, 7 months post op, I have lost 70 lbs, and I run / walk on the treadmill every day and I do my strength training exercises faithfully. I love exercising now because it's so much easier. So it will all come in good time. The advice the others have given you is great advice; we all have to learn what works for us. But since we are the same height and same starting weight almost, take a look at some of the photos on my blog (link below) and hopefully you will be inspired........I think I look like a completely different person. I'm sure I'm a lot older than you, but you'll get an idea. Good luck and keep us posted.....I have a feeling in a week or two you'll see some nice steady progress. BTW, I have been losing a lb a week for about the last 2 months and am SO happy with that because I don't have lose skin issues that you can have with fast weight loss.

Congratulations on your decision and your surgery date!!! I hope you continue to stay positive and even get excited about this life changing event. Do keep us posted; there are so few people who are not thrilled with the outcome of this surgery. The honest truth is the first month is a bit surreal and like any surgery you have new territory to navigate, but this forum is very helpful if you have any questions! You may want to take a look at my posts from Oct / Nov to give you an idea of what to expect (the link to my blog is below). Just think how much better you are going to feel and look in a few months! Good for you!!! Do keep us updated.

Just got back from a fabulous 4 days in San Francisco where I really indulged in high calorie foods......I posted the details on my weekly blog (link is below). Most normal weight people who do that; cut back and hit the gym to get those 1 to 2 lbs off when they get home. Such a simple concept....why did it take this long to figure this out? Thanks to all of those who left such nice comments on my blog this week. Sorry it was a couple of days late....so appreciate the support and all of those who follow my Sunday updates. For me, I've off to the gym right now!

Fantastic news TJmom!!!! So so happy for you.....we are about the same age; and if you have been reading my weekly updates, I suspect you will have a similar ride......and it's a good one! So, any plans to celebrate the Big 60 when you are nice and thin?????

Have I thanked you for this yet? Not sure; I'm getting a little behind here......but I SO appreciate your offer of help for my friend. It's a slippery slope as you know; I don't want to hurt her feelings but I want her to be happy again. Her name is Linda and she lives in Alaska. I will ask her to contact you but it may take a while.....thanks again! Queen of Crop

Mahalo to everyone for the great responses.....and to Jazzie and MrsNate.....welcome to the club!!!!! So eager to follow your progress as well...... Andrea....I so appreciate your compliments on my blog; as I have said many times, I write it because I was so inspired by another person's blog last summer (which I can't find any more sadly as I would really like to thank her). I have no other ulterior motive....so comments like yours mean a lot. Hard to believe I only have 5 more months to write it.... And @ CLK....right on! Love your well thought out response.....I am going to forward it to a friend who is in the "can I do this" stage...... I love this forum....it has helped me and so many others.....

Yes, denial can stay with you a long time....I am feeling positively svelte and skinny these days at 154 lbs....because this is the lowest weight I have been in 25 years....and people keep commenting on how 'thin' I look.....so I believe it! Then I was having lunch with a friend the other day who is at the highest weight she has ever been and she's miserable.....at 149 lbs!!!! The great thing about all of this though, is that we feel better, we're more conscious of our health, our bodies, our life; and we feel so encouraged and hopeful that we have finally found something that really helps us live our dream life instead of another stupid diet that just makes us feel like failures. And I think we should feel great at every weight we hit on the way down......the journey should be as much fun as reaching the goal!!!!

Wow, congratulations on all your accomplishments!!! The fact that you did this while you were working (and still are) as a baker is incredible!!!! That's amazing in itself. Love your story..... On the link, you may not have your settings set so you see others signature so you may want to check that. For some reason this forum doesn't want you to put the link to your blog in the message which I disagree with because I think we are all here to support each other and many have told me that they don't know how to get to my blog. But we are allowed to put them in our signature. I write my blog every Sunday for NO other reason than to perhaps inspire others because I may not have had this surgery without the inspiration of someone elses blog. So I'll go out on a limb here (and maybe get my hand slapped again) by giving the link here: www.queenofcrop.com even though it's also on my signature. Thanks for your story too, I'm going to share it with my friend I mention in my blog as I hoping she will also consider having a sleeve done. All the best

Thanks for the reading my blog and the reply!!! And welcome to the club.....I would LOVE to know where yo went and how much it cost; I'm trying to convince my girlfriend from HS to go....but the money is stopping her....any info you can share would be great!'