Finding MeMe

Remember that food was your best friend and you have to say good bye. I too loved food and didn't want to break up with it but for my health I had to. The good thing is with my sleeve, I can''t over eat., I tried to one day but it quickly let me know that it was not having it. When full stop eating or I will act up.

When your insisions and tummy starts to feel well.

When my granddaughter who haven't seen me in a while said "grandma you look pretty". I said thank you sweetheart, I also went shopping with my daughter and we now wear the same size. had to buy the smaller size because I am still losing. I love my sleeve........

I started back going to the gym at 2 weeks and you will fit more fluids in as time goes on. I am at close to 6 weeks and can almost fit 16 oz during my one hour spin class. You are correct it feels sort of tight and it almost dosen't want to stay down. I continue to slip slowly and slowdown or stop to drink.. Good Luck.

Walmart or Marshall's

Sleeve Guru, I too could not tolerate the Celebrate multi or calcium citrate. They literally made me gag on several occasions and I said no more. I then read a few posts on nutrion and supplements and decided to start taking the vitafusion gummy multi from Walmart. Now I love taking my multi daily, these muti vits are so yummy. I also stopped taking the celebrate calcium citrate and purchased Caltrate (calcium citrate) from Walmart. Since they are a little big for my tummy, I bought a pill splitter from walmart also and cut them into four pieces which makes go down too easy. Good luck.

Well said my friend.

I went to walmart and bought a spill splitter. I then cut my big multi vit into four small pieces that goes down super easy. Good Luck..

Just boil the fresh ginger and make a great tasting tea. Use about 2 inches of ginger, smash with hammer or hard tool, I always insert it in a plastic bag or sack before smashing it. I then put it in my teapot or saucepan and boil for 5-10 min. I then add a little milk and or 1/2 teaspoon of sugar for flavor.

At my two week appt my Dr. cleared me to do low impact exersises like walking, bike riding, precore, stairmaster and light wts for toning,

After watching the movie "fat, sick and nearly dead". I decided to start juicing for my hubby and I daily. He loves the fact that they are healthy and nutritious. I juice beets, apples, carrots, ginger, cucumbers, pineapples, melons and spinich. I will never buy processed juice ever again because the fresh taste is so much better. I am hooked on my jacklalane juicer.

I now look at exercise as my new medication presciption to a longer healthier life. I know that I have to take this medication at least 5x per week for optimum health. I also realize that if I don't take it, I will not lose/maintain my weight and my surgery will be for nothing. I did it to get healthy and daily exercise is a part of that. I always try to do something different, not the same boring treadmill walk. I will walk outside with my handweights, walk up and down hills and do interval training when I walk. Like others said I will also walk with my ipod and pump up my music for motivation it helps time fly by.

Exercise is my daily medication, It has been proven to add years to my life so I now feel like I need it in order to be here many more years for my husband and children. This is an investment in my health so I take it seriously and always change my routine. I could be walking, race walking, aerobics, spin, zumba or a fitness marathon. Good Luck.

I had two protien shakes a day and one decent low carb meal for lunch or dinner. I bought a jacklalane juicer from walmart to start (eating more raw foods). I made fresh juices healthy ones like carrot, apple and ginger or cucumbers and apples. I then started using my blender more and made fresh smoothies out of fresh strawberries, my vanilla protien and non-fat milk for breakfast. I also added one cup of spinich to my smoothies. I now love eating my vegges. I had so much fun and feel that I will continue this way because I had more energy. Good Luck

What about going to the library or going on line for workout videos. There are plenty of zumba/dance dvd's out there that won't bore you. I also recommend loading up your ipod with your favorite music and walk, walk, walk. Find a neighborhood park or a street with a hill or slight incline and walk up and down to your music' You can get some 2lb or 5lb hand weights from walmart and walk with your hand weights for a good upper body workout. Try doing your own cuircuit training course, walk really fast for 100 meters, stop do some upperbody exercises (bicep/tricep curls) with your weights, walk back another 100 meters and do 10 pushups on your knees until you can do full pushups. If it's raining outside you can move your curcuit training inside. Walk upstairs to the bedroom do some wall pushups, walk another room and do some squats, walk up and down stairs 5 times and back to the bedroom. Good Luck.

Hello friends, First of all I would like to wish you a happy new year and I hope that all is well. I would like to know what are your weight goals for 2012 since my surgery date is 23 Jan, I would like to be down to 200 by July 4th for my Vegas vacation. I hope thats realistic 43 lbs in 5 months, I thinks it's doable.

My date is on 23 Jan, not nervous at all because of this site. I am ready to see the new me and so is my hubby.

Hang in there, he will always make a way. I started this process on 4 May and still no date, over 8 months. I'm just waiting patiently, I read somewhere that some ins companies take up to two years to approve.

Thanks TurtleButt, this was deep and I can tell you have no regrets about your decision.

I've grown to love exercise and it's almost second nature to me. I do it daily because it is good for my lungs, heart and body. Recent studies have shown that exercise is one of the best things we can do for longevity. I also change my routine often, step aerobics, spin, zumba, stair-master, threadmill work, walking with my hubby or find a hill around the house to walk up and down for 30 minutes. In addition, I lift weights to keep the flab at bay and help with my strength conditioning. I was lifting weights yesterday up at the gym and warmed up with 145lbs on the bench then moved up to 195. The old grandma at 45 still amaze the young guys who are pushing 145, I just have fun with it, after the workout I told my hubby I can't wait for my surgery because I am going to be a "beast". p.s. I too have bad knees so I stick with low impact exercises.

You are not alone, I am gaining weight also mainly because in order to maintain my current weight of 242 I have to work out at least 90 minutes a day and since I know that I am getting the surgery I said F this killing myself to workout. I am working out for 60 minutes for my heart and lungs no longer just to maintain and not gain.

I too would choose bald and healthy rather than having hair.

Hello Friends, I am Angela the new assistant moderator a Military wife and Retiree. I would like to know when did you decide to get sleeved? What was your decision making point, and what has been the most challenging part of the process? In my case I decided to get sleeved after I couldn't lose the weight with diet and exercise alone. After I retired, I gained over 30 lbs and no diet or starvation method could take off more than 20 lbs. On my 45th birthday I said no more by the time I reach 46 years old I will not weigh 242lbs this is unhealthy and it's time to lost this weight for good. I started noticing commercials for the lapband and learned all about the the good, the bad and the ugly. While conducting my research I learned about the gastric sleeve and I knew this was what I wanted. With this info I went to my PCP and Triicare approved me for the surgery. I began the long process and will get my surgery sometime in Dec. Overall, I am pretty satisfied with my decision and there's no turning back.

Hi Nadashad, OK here is my opinion, honestly what I would do is send the letter to the president/vice-president or better yet, the supervisor of the individual who is denying your request. This is what I call an (Exception to Current Policy). I would make a personal plea and explain your situation in detail to them. For example, you discussed the shift work and child care situation, the fact that you are a stay at home mom, the condition of your car and the price of gas to commute to and from the meetings. Discuss the hardship that this will cause you and how let down and disapointed you feel about them changing the rules for approval after you have done what was required. Explain that your condition is worsening and the fhe fact that it is just unfair to treat you in this manner. Coming from an HR professional your letter sounds combative and demanding and dosen't contain the details to make the decision you are seeking. Recommend to tone it down a little and put more of your personal feelings and how their decision has affected you and what they can do to assist you in achieving your goal of surgery. :aureola:

Have you considered calling tri-care yourself and asking them what the critea is. If you meet the critea then they should approve it. If there is a military nearby that could do the surgery it should be as simple as going to that facility.