Allie ALii

Before 272 After 157

Thanks Allie, you've helped me alot already!

This was my fist surgery too, and i have to say it was very good!
i feel totally normal now, if you take your pain meds after the surgery you will be fine, i had mine on a monday and i was in the mall shopping on saturday for hrs, just make sure you sip your Protein all the time, and have a ton of pilows because you will need them to get confy post op.

I did it! I broke through that ONE-derland door!! And it was on my two month surgiversary this past Friday. I had not been under 200 since the end of 2006. I have lost a total of 40.5 lbs. (that includes 10 lbs on pre-op) and feel amazing. I can't say enough great things about the sleeve and my new way of life. What a blessing!
"Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see." (Hebrews 11:1)

I'm a SAHM with 4 kids & more days than I'd care to admit I wear drawstring yoga pants. Despite my loss, my jeans do not fit any looser, but today I put on some yoga pants & tossed my phone in the pocket, as I do everyday but they keep sliding down....the "weight" of my phone is pulling my pants down! I've had to pull them up 100 times today! Idk why but this thrills me
My surgery day weight was 316. Today I weigh 269. The significance of this number is I haven't weighed under 270 since before I got pregnant with my 4.5yo son so that means it has been 5 years since I've weighed this little I love my sleeve! So exciting!

Finally was able to put on mY watch without the extender!! All this time I just thought my bones were big!!!! On top of that my pants are falling off, and by golly, my belt is too big!!!
I love my sleeve!
I hope everyone is doing well!
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On another thread, we started talking about fruits and vegetables. How do you incorporate them in your diet? I know for me, I never eat salads because they are just too much volume & stop me from getting in my Protein.< /p>
I do have a few tricks, but would love to hear your ideas as well ...
Starwberry Overload Smoothie:
1 CarbMaster strawberry Yogurt (Kroger, FredMeyer) 1/2 Cup Frozen Strawberries 2T Torani SF Rasberry Syrup 0.5 Scoop of On's 100% Any whey Protein powder
= 140 calories, 12 carbs, 3 g Fiber, 22 g protein, 2 g fat, and 40% daily Calcium
Green Beans - Side dish with protein meal Celery with Peanut Butter - snack Cucumber Slices (pretend it's potato chips) and maybe a little bit of Ranch Dressing Del Monte No Sugar Added Diced Peaches = 25 calories & 6 g carbs as a side dish with protein meal So, what other ideas do you have for incorporating more fruits and veggies in your daily diets?

This adorable orange and gold Free People top and white banana Republic shorts I have already bought! Yes, I am a preshopper! I have already bought some many clothes now I could clothe my neighborhood! YAY ME!

Ok so my brothers wedding is in September and I am a bridesmaid ....I purchased a dress in size 20 back in December of last year....I waz sleeved on 2/21/12....so I had to exchange it for a smaller size...the girls at the bridal place wanted me to try on dresses to see where I am at. After hesitation I agreed to...guess what...I fit into a size 16!!! It zipped almost all the way up!!! So I ordered a 12...September is 6 months away!! Hehehe! Then I figured I would head over to lane bryant for a new bra....I was a 42 DDD.....they said I am now a size 36 DD!!!!!! Holy crap! No more shopping in the fat chick stores for bras!!! So I saved my 50 plus dollars I would have spent on bra and undies there and headed to walmart....I hot bra and underwear for $12!!! Today was a great day!!!

I never thought I'd be happy to say this, but I'm now OVERWEIGHT, and that's a good thing! BMI started at 36, now 29.4! Bye-Bye obesity! The journey continues...next stop Normal Weightville

My 13yr old aughter had a dance coming up. So,I bought her a dress, size 14 miss. About a week later, before the dance, she went into a different store and came across the perfect dress for her. because the first dress was on clearance for only 25 dollars I bought her the second dress. just outta curiosity I decided to try on the 1st dress. btw I thought it was gorgeous! I was stunned, emotionally overwhelmed, thrilled and shocked to discover that the dress not only fits but it's actually big around my waist section. Yay mama got a new dress! I will post a picture when I get a chance I just had to share this with you all immediately!!

I never thought I would get here! I have been right above 200 pounds for the past 3 months. I thought that the scale was mocking me! But I got on the scale today and what did it say??? thats right! 198.6!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I cant believe that I finally got a one before my weight! The only thing that would be better then this is getting to goal! For those of you still hovering over that onederland stage, just keep your chin up, you will get there soon!

i'm here 2 days post op and everyone is so sweet and nice, the rooms al clean and modern and the give you just abou anything you need or want.
i love my doctors Aceves and Campoes!

I was sleeved on 2/6...and today is 3/17...yesterday was the first day that like 6 people told me I looked smaller!! So it took a month basically for it to be noticeable although I saw the scale sliding down. I felt like I had a secret, since it wasnt super noticeable that I had lost so much weight!!
AND..this is still the beggining of a new life!!

You know...I was instructed by my doctor to take a Calcium supplement 3 times a day. I was sceptical at first, expecting the ones she told me to get would be mediciny, but they taste like a carmel candy...I think they're awesome and they kind of fill my sweet tooth need. They have 4 flavors, Milk chocolate, Caramel, Rasberry, and chocolate Mint. I have only tried the Caramel since that is one of my favorite candy types...and they are AWESOME!!! They are called Viactiv. Now, when I went to my pharmacy to get them they had there Walgreen's store brand on the shelf right next to them for a lot cheaper. I tried those and they taste like a candy. Anyways, hope that helps.
http://www.viactiv.com/calcium-soft-chews

This is now my issue too. I am getting saggy in my inner upper arms. Is that the biceps? he told me to start working out each day with 5 lb. weights. I also notice it in my upper legs under my crotch area. I love it though! I am thinking about a short term contract at the gym across the street just for my arm problem. i am also going to start an aquatics exercise class since I have heard Water exercise can't be beat.

Oh, and I forgot to mention planks!! I try to do three or four of them a day. Done right, they will make your arms sore in a hurry. Every time I go in and out of my house, I do one using my steps as a workout aid. They work like push ups for the arms, but I think it's easier to do them on the steps because I wasn't fit at all to start with.

I agree with Lissa. Search for arm workouts on YouTube. Tons of material on there for you to choose from.
I would suggest a light push ups workout right after waking up in the morning and just before bed.
Good luck!

I do high reps of low weights every day. Biceps curls, triceps extensions, straight arm lifts. Hit You Tube and look for arm workouts, then steal whatever seems to work for you from the videos! It won't completely eliminate the batwings, but it will help. I have biceps again after lots of wiggly skin and I'm 45. It will help tremendously!

Today I went through the luggage closet in my house and found a bag full of clothes from various stages in my life, all the way back when I was 16 years old. I found 7 tops that fit, some still had tags from when my family gave them to me but I could never wear them because they wouldn't fit, and now they do! I found my favorite shorts from 4 years ago, when I was 245 and they fit! I found my favorite red skirt from when I was 245, and that fits too!!! I found a dress I wore when I was 16, a dress I wore when I was 17, my prom dress, my high school graduation dress, and a dress a wore 6 years ago and they all fit!!! I feel like I went shopping and I didn't even have to use my plastic!
I love my sleeve!!!

sugar free applesauce, SF popsicles and Jello, refried Beans in a can, canned chicken and tuna (can be blended). Little cans of everything because you won't eat more than an ounce or two of anything probably. I bought some tiny bowls to eat out of, the kind that they use for dip at a restarant. I also bought a few pretty china saucers and baby spoons and forks to help me eat small amounts. Tiny containers for leftovers.
There are a couple of pinned threads about what to take to the hospital and what to buy for after surgery that might be helpful. Do a site search for those and it should help.
Good luck!!

I'll be there right after you, best of luck! Keep us all posted!

Its great to hear that mostly everyone is feeling good! I am at 2 weeks post-op today! Yay! Each day gets a bit better. I can finally start mushies today. I attempted to eat a peice of string cheese. I nibbled on it for an hour. Lol! Nothing is coming back up so that's a good sign! I am having a terrible time getting my protien shakes in everyday. I can't find one that I like. Also having trouble getting all my Water in. I have tried Propel, Gatorade, and Powerade, I can't stand the taste of any of them... I fear getting dehydrated, but so far I am feeling good

I'm 13 days post op... The first 2 days were great! THEN the burning pain next to my belly button started after the morphine button was taken from me :-( I never dealt with much nausea.. The first 4 days or so it was a little unpleasant to drink! Every time I took a drink I would have air bubbles gurgle up my throat. It didn't hurt or anything but it was a little uncomfortable. I was constantly trying to find something to elevate the pain by my belly button! I'm on a two week clear liquid diet.. Not having food hasn't bothered me much surprisingly since I ate normal all the way to the evening before my surgery. I was a cash patient so it took 20 days from consult to surgery day... I didn't do any pre op diets! After day 6 or 7 my energy started coming back :-) I do take plenty of chewable vitamins during the day and the chewing experience makes my tummy kinda hurt :-( but I keep taking it all.. Days 8-13 haven't been that bad but I'm still only good for about 3-4 hours a day! I STILL have the burning pain next to my belly button but the few hours I'm being active I just wear an abdominal binder which really helps make walking bearable. So here I am on my last clear liquid day and I have lost 16 lbs so far but I do feel like I'm hungry these days and I don't think its acid because I'm taking my pills.. It's not completely unbearable so I just keep drinking the water! SO if anyone wants to know kind of what to expect the first 2 weeks, here's my experience!
Oh--- I have noticed through this whole process that every other commercial is about food lol maybe that's why I'm hungry :-) for the first time in my life I'm craving a Ruben sandwhich hahaha!

Just ate some from my local Chinese place. I ordered it vegetarian w/ a little extra egg for Protein. Seemed I could eat quite a bit (maybe 3/4 cup) & I don't feel like I'm going to throw up, which is RARE for me!! So, experts chime in here.......CONS???
If there aren't any than I highly recommend it