Velena

I'm wondering what's going to happen to the girls too. I'm half way to my goal and I am still the same cup size but it's more loose skin than firm breast. Sorry it that's TMI. Are there exercises I can do for this? I'm about to go buy new bras that cover the girls more because it's hard to keep them where they belong because they are so loose now. (Sorry to the guys out there), Maybe a boobie tuck is in my future?

I'm only three months out so I don't really know. How many calories do you eat a day? Do you track that? It sounds wrong but sometimes if you increase your calories (protein) you may start losing again. Good Luck!

Ready, Momofthing and Newgrandmother: So sorry you've been sick, Sounds like you've been keeping yourselves on the right track with OTC meds and trips to the ER when needed. Hang in there ladies, we'll make it past all this and have a great New Year! And a much healthier, thinner New Year too.

I confess that at 3 months out, I still eat too much. So much that I threw up again yesterday from eating too much too fast. That makes me feel like a failure.

I ate a sliver of birthday cake at work and it went down good!

I can't visualize myself thin either. I'm supposed to loose another 60 lbs to reach my "goal" and I can't even imagine what the will look like or feel like

I'm thankful for this forum because there is no where else in my life where people would understand what I'm going through.

I told everyone about the surgery and about my diabetes and high blood pressure and obesity going away. I hope I can help others decide to take control of their life and use this tool to get healthier too.

I'm so sorry you had that episode. That does hurt! I hope you're feeling better soon.

Good luck!!

I really started this journey 2 years ago, I set a goal that I would weigh under 200 by my 50th birthday. I weighed @265 at the time and hadn't changed that weight in years of trying. I worked hard, I ate right (I thought) and exercised as much as I could. I lost 10 lbs. I went to my Doc for help. She put me on Meridia. I lost another 20 lbs. But I never got under 200. After I came off the Meridia, I gained the weight back. Last summer when I started my Vertical Sleeve journey, I weighed 265 again. I thought I was destined to weigh that much forever. My diabetes was starting to go crazy and so was my blood pressure.

Since my surgery on Sept 5th, I have lost 66 lbs and I'm off my medications. I feel great and I have energy. Sometimes I forget that I had the surgery but after a few bites, I figure it out again.

Best of all, I now weigh 199!!!!! I haven't seen Onderland since high school.

I love my sleeve!!

I was sleeved Sept 5th. I started the Biotin a month ago and started using the thinning hair Shampoo then too.

Congratulations, you look fantastic!

Hey, thanks - been so busy but yes I'm trying to get as much Protein in as I can & I'm taking biotin... My prayer is that it just slows down - it seems to have only shed a lot when I washed & combed my hair out & you not the only one who had a thing for their hair - lol... I just don't wanna lose it to much...

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Have you tried using the shampoos/conditioners for thinning hair? I've been using that along with taking Biotin and I haven't noticed a lot of Hair loss yet.

I stalled for two weeks. It sucked but it broke eventually. Hang in there!

As of today, I have met my goal of losing 10 lbs by Thanksgiving!

Challenge start weight: 213

Todays weight: 203

This was my first challenge & I'm still in mega loss time - @ 3 1/2 months from surgery.

Congratulations to everyone who tried & lost, that was really the goal from the beginning.

NGM- The place I went before was the one where you add all of your toppings yourself and you pay by weight. I know there were sugar free options and I will definitely go for that this summer. It will help with the Protein, and like you said a couple of oz is a nice treat!!

I used to go to those places. I loved the sugar free yogurt and used to put the fresh fruit on top. I can't even imagine how small of a serving I would be able to eat now. LOL.

With everyone expressing concern about over-eating on Thanksgiving, consider this (taken from My Fitness Pal):

2 oz white meat turkey - 70 calories

1/8 C cornbread dressing - 37 calories

1/8 C mashed potatoes (made with whole milk & butter) - 30 calories

1/8 C mashed sweet potatoes - 23 calories

1/8 C green bean casserole - 23 calories

1/4 C turkey gravy - 25 calories

So IF you could eat all of the above, your total calorie intake would be a whopping 208 calories.

Gee whiz - worries gone! No, you might not get in all of your Protein - for this ONE day. And you might exceed your carbs - for this ONE day. But really, at 208 calories I'm not even thinking about being bothered by this at all (and let's face it, NO WAY can any of us eat that much in one sitting).

Now the big "gotcha" will be the desserts. A slice of pumpkin or pecan pie has about 400 calories (1/8 of 9" pie). But ya know, the 2-3 bites we're going to have, whatever!

So enjoy the day with your family. Have a nibble of this and a taste of that. We all have to learn to live REAL LIVES and holidays with food is part of that. Just remember that Friday it's no longer the holiday and get back on track with protein, fluids, etc.

We're all going to be just fine - I KNOW it!

Thank you for breaking that down realistically for me. I feel much better now and I know I can handle Thanksgiving like that.

Is anyone worried about Thanksgiving next week? I'm worried about two things. 1 - that I will try to eat too much and end up in the bathroom YUCK. and 2 - that I will feel deprived because I can't even manage a taste of all the goodies much less the huge servings I used to eat.

Will I be able to make healthy, wise choices when faced with the traditional Thanksgiving feast? Any tips, does anyone have a plan of action to share??

I was sleeved on Sep 5th, it was hard to deal with at first but I would do it again. I'm off the high blood pressure medicine and most of the diabetes meds and high cholesterol meds. I feel great, have a ton of energy and love looking better and feeling better. I should have done it sooner!

I'm so glad you both made it safely home...awesome job of keeping up with the dog!

I'm in, I've been stalled for a week or more. I've lost 32 lbs since surgery on 9/5/12. I'm going to try to lose 10 lbs by Thanksgiving, Wish me luck!

I started this challenge weighing 213, I'm down 9 lbs as of Nov 15, so I'm changing my goal. I'm shooting for getting rid of another 2 lbs before Thanksgiving. I'd like to try for onderland but I'm worried it might not be very healthy to try and lose 5 lbs in a week.

Down 33lbs in seven weeks since surgery! Total lost since June 4th (day of seminar) 82lbs. Finally starting to believe this will work. Taking some clothes by Goodwill today. Before I always kept every size, thinking I might gain the weight back....NOT NOW! Am shopping in back of my own closet for now, pulling out those smaller sizes. God is good!

Yes He is! I didn't think I'd ever be to this point (almost 60 lbs gone) and still losing. Thank God for the wisdom He gave doctors and surgeons that allowed this procedure to happen. I'm off diabetes, high blood pressure meds and high cholesterol. God is GOOD!

For those of you posting about Hair loss, I have been using Nioxin Shampoo, conditioner, and scalp treatment. Haven't hardly shed any hair in almost 8 weeks...although it seems like I read somewhere that 3 months is usually when it will be the worst. Anyway, I am assuming the stuff is helping but of course can't prove it. I got it at ULTA. It is expensive though. There are all different stages so be sure to buy the correct one for your type of hair-for example I use stage 3 since I have baby fine hair that is highlighted. So hopefully this will help some of you.

I've been using their shampoo and conditioner too, as well as taking Biotin. I haven't noticed any drastic hair loss yet, knock on wood! I'm learning to be a better judge of how much food I can eat. My husband came home with tiny corelle bowls that only hold 6 oz. for me. That helps too. I keep track of my food on mfp but sometimes at the end of the day, I feel like I've been eating all day long and I'm amazed that I haven't gained weight.

This is such a great thing to do.

I confess that the biggest reason for me to have the op is so I can have another baby.

I confess I don't eat all my Protein or drink enough Water most days (I find it hard and I forget to eat)

I confess I am scared to be skinny (as I have never been)

I confess I am so worried about excess skin

I confess I am also worried about regaining weight and going back to being fat

Wow I feel so much better

Well I can relate to this except for "having another baby" a little too late for me to do that LOL.

I confess that I have eaten small chunks of homemade brownies that my daughter made.

I confess that a small part of me is ok with throwing up when I eat too much because I'd rather throw up than be fat again.

I confess that I still haven't exactly figured out how much to eat and I often eat too fast to "listen" to my body. I need to work on that!

I confess that I haven't worked out today at all! Then I worry that I'm sabotaging my own weightloss...

I'm a Sept 5th Sleever, I've lost 39 lbs since the surgery. And I've stalled for a couple of weeks too. I had a head cold that thankfully wasn't too bad. So it sounds like you're on track. Keep up the good work!

Woohoo! What a great feeling! Were you dancing in costco?

I just kept asking my husband if he was sure it looked good on me (they don't have mirrors in Costco). Well I bought it and looked at myself in the mirror when I got home and it did look good. Go figure!

Do it now! That's the best advice I can give you. Find a good surgeon in your area, make sure the insurance is going to cover him and the hospital, find out what else the surgeon and the insurance need to pre-approve you. Go for it!! You won't regret it!