helgaready

I am 5'7 n chg so I got a few inches on ya. I made size 10 at abt 178lbs. Right now dey r a lil loose but not ready for n 8 jean yet

Probably not cool to say but if gagging is an issue for you...you can try putting a dab of "anal ease" near the back of your throat and it will quiet the gagging reflex...A trick I was taught when I was learning the skill...You need to give it a couple minutes to work...It numbs your throat...As I think about it...I wonder if chorolseptic(sp?) will work as it has a numbing effect to....

Highest weight: 232 lbs Surgery weight: 227 lbs (8-17-12) 1.1.13 weight: 177.6 lbs Current weight: 169lbs Goal Weight for Valentine's Day: 160 lbs Off my goal a bit but also have been off my eating plan so I can't have a pity party...Instead I need to refocus on goal and make it happen...On the positive I am still down another dress size...Bought my first size 8 about two weeks ago. Jeans are still a lil snug but they go on and button but I would like to get down another 10 before I wear the jeans out...but the dress and jumpsuit I bought is getting some public play time next week...

I plan on doing a half June 1st...had VSG on 08/17/12 so plenty time out..I had been training well n den d holidays came n I got off schedule but I'm bck on d grind tmrrw...will b my first half eva..did a few 5k n even a 7mi race once..so looking frwd to being conditioned to run 13mi...Training shud help me shed dese last 22lbs n give d tone n my legs dat I am looking for...

HW = 232 SW = 227 VSG = 08/17/12 Wk 1 (12/07) = 182 Wk 2 (12/14) = 179 Wk 3 (12/21) = 177.6 Wk 4 (12/28) = 176.4 Final (01/01/13) = 176.6 So 174 is being so evasive...I been gunning for this goal for about a month now...Now really happy about how things working themselves out but I am going to say encouraged...On to the next challenge. I am participating in the Valentine day challenge...hoping to make it to 160 by then...With refocused eating habits and exercise (which I have not done for the past month) then I think my goal is very doable...

Yes my mom did not agree with my decision either. I talked about it for about 6 months with her and she vehemently despised my decision and even told me I was from a fat family so we were suppose to be fat...Besides I wasnt fat as some and I carried my weight well so I should basically be good with myself. It cried and told her how unhappy I was and that I not living life anymore because my weight was holding me back and she just said girl get over that. I first thought I needed for her to cosign a loan for me as I was self pay as I had applied before and could not get approved for a personal loan. Well that was out the question. So I applied a couple months later and was approved on my own...Never looked back on all her madness....Also my boyfriend at the time didnt support my decision to have surgery...Told me it was an easy way out and that all I need to do was work out harder and quit eating...Well his nonsupport a$$ sure didnt do much to encourage me to do less emotional eating and more working out...I have since gotten rid of him but it hurted so knowing the people I wanted validation from most did not support my decision and couldnt find it then to support me either. But going through with the decision was the best decision I could have made. As I lose the weight and regain my confidence they notice...My mom still finds it somewhat hard to say I look good...she says I look different...will take her some getting used too but I am so beyond what they think now as I am once again loving myself for the first time in a long time...I think that will be your story too so forge ahead...have the surgery and as the weight comes off you will find that you can stand on your own and are no so caught up in being validating by those around you. Sure you still love them and want them to be happy for you but you can rely more on your internal happiness you find comes with losing the weight.

Highest weight: 232 lbs Surgery weight: 227 lbs (8-17-12) Current weight: 177.6 lbs Goal Weight for Valentine's Day: 160 lbs My final goal weight is 155...Would be super nice to reach that but I think that is pushing it a bit much...I am planning to take Valentine photos for the first time in over 10 year so I would love to be as close to goal as possible.

Look on craigslists in the free section to see if anyone is giving away treadmills or other exercise equipment. In my local area, there is always something on there as people do not want to take the tile to haul it away or pay to dispose of it. Also get some DVD's...or if you are able to jump rope...it is inexpensive but very effective exercise. You can also do body resistance exercise...like squarts...lunges...scissors kicks...Anything that using the lower extremities are good as those are your large muscles and so are your calorie burners...not to say that you should not focus on upper body...But you can do something as simple as putting a broomstick behind your neck and doing trunk twists...YouTube could give you a crap tone more ideas of ways to use your body own resistance to get an awesome workout...

I agree with fluffylibra30. You can certainly lose the weight without exercising but you get a much better luck if you incorporate exercise. I am at 177lbs wearing a size 10 because I have exercised and toned up losing alot of inches. My initial size goal was a size 11 as I thought that was in line with my goal weight of 155lbs. Also as we get closer to our goal weight and farther from our surgery date...the weight loss will slow down yet we will also begin to incorporate more foods into our diets. In order to ensure that I reach and maintain goal, I want exercise to be a daily part of my routine. I know I want to have boob surgery when all is said and done but if I can minimize the need for any other surgeries...i.e. arms...inner thighs...and boot lift by putting some time in with the treadmill...weights and squats well I am all for putting sweat equity in...

As other have said...everyone loses at different paces...Just focus on good eating and incorporating exercise as you can. I started at 232 and lost 25lbs the first month, with five of those being on the 1 week pre-op diet. I have since lost 55lbs and I am 4 months out..But I have had a couple of weeks where I gained but I dont get down about it. I started walking on the treadmill one week out and by week 4 I started incoporating a lil jogging...VSG is an awesome tool and I am certain if you focus on the protein first...limiting carbs and sugars...keeping up water intake and exercises as allowed, you will be a success.

I was on liquids for 3 weeks and then introduced soft foods at 4 weeks and no solids until 5 weeks...I still eat very small portions most times. Somethings such as popcorn I can eat more. I have less of the stuck feeling unless I overeat or drink too soon after eating. As a previous poster said, it does get better and pretty soon you will be able to eat a whole egg...lol. Most mornings that is all I can eat but sometimes I add a half piece of toast (bad carbs dont do it..lol) or slice of bacon...I am so happy though with the self control my sleeve had afforded me. It is so worth it and things will get better. Congrats on the weight loss...I am 4 months post op and I have lost 55lbs...

I know...I am just over 4 months out and still do not regularly go on my own. I just recently starting taking daily fiber and also take milk of mag once a week otherwise it could be weeks on end before I go. And each time I go, I am losing a pound..pound and half...So there is something that needs to see the day of light again only my body has not figure out to make it happen on it own since surgery.

I too want a boob job and am going to get one once I have reached my goal and maintained it for 3 months...I have always had smaller boobs and I was cool with them for the most part...Now as I lose weight they are hanging more than I can appreciate so I am going to go bigger and prop them babies back up where they were intended to be...

Congrats on your decision. I made the decision too and was sleeved about 4 months ago and have since lost 54lbs...I have not one regret about my decision...I am just 23lbs from goal which I hope to hit by the end of February...

Had a couple and up and down days with the holiday grazing but this past week I have seen the scale go down consistently...My year end goal is a definitely a challenge at this point but I am going for hard so that I can get as close to it as possible. In fact, I have no Christmas plans so I should be able to avoid all the holiday grazing I did over the past month. HW = 232 SW = 227 VSG = 08/17/12 Wk 1 (12/07) = 182 Wk 2 (12/14) = 179 Wk 3 (12/21) = 177.6 Wk 4 (12/28) = Final (01/01/13) = Goal Weight is 174lbs by New Years....

With the holidays and a busy time at work I have not been up on my blog as I should so here's to catching up the past two weeks. I made it back home after traveling to see the grandbaby and with the bad food and poor food choices, I saw some weight gain but I have recovered nicely. I hit the 170's this week and I could not be happier...I think I said the same thing when I hit 199 but for real for real I am so happy. I think I am inching upon a weight I seen in 2002 when I thought I wanted to join the National Guard. I think I was 172lbs then. I still have more belly and back fat than I can appreciate so I am hoping 18 of those pounds come from those areas and 3 come from my legs and the rest from my arms...lol...I been talking to each body part telling them what I need to see from this over the next couple of months...lol...I hope to be at goal sometimes at the end of Februrary first part of March. I have already bought me a swimsuit for the occassion. It is actually a bikini but in truth I probably would be more like to wear a monokini..A friend of mine has a vacation rental in Winter Haven, just outside of Orlando and it has an open week in February so it would be nice to go down and hang out at the beach. I also have a trip planned to Myrtle Beach SC in July when I should most definitey be at goal and ready to take all kinds of pics. So back to what my past fews weeks have been like....Resisting the temptation to graze all the holiday treats has been more than a challenge. Thank goodness I have an entire year for these days to come back around again because it has been absolute torture. My carb intake has been crazy...yet my sleeve has worked overtime and still posted a loss. I had a few days where I went up but it leveled out and the scale has been going down consistently for the past week. I had a year end goal of 174lbs and it definitely will be a challenge hitting my goal but I even still I could not be happier that I am even this close to goal...Fingers crossed.... Another positive thing is I think my hair loss is slowing up. However, it is so thin now that I do not wear my own natural hair without wearing a wig piece. My head is already big and so the thin hair dont do it no favors. See pic below. My head looks so big...But I dont go out in public like that...Folk might think I was sick or something...losing weight and hair...lol... One of the big pieces of news is I met a new guy friend. He is so different then any guy I would have ever dated as he had dreads and facial hair and I usually go for the bald and maybe nice goatee guy...He is light skin and I go for the dark chocolate and he is my age and I have always dated older. But he for whatever reason caught my attention and had held it everyday since we met last Friday. We have hung out everyday and I have not felt so "teenager" giddy in such a long time. I was in a 12 year relationship up until about 6 months ago and I thought I could never see past my ex...I would see other attractive guys but I never had the desire to pursue them or allowed myself to be pursued because I was so caught up in my ex and "saving" our bad relationship. Until now....So I am not sure if I am happier I met a guy that I am having fun with or that I actually am open to to seeing other guys. It feel so good just to know I am moving or have moved past my ex. He was not a good mate to me and so I wanted him out of my system for so long and just didnt know how to shake him...Somewhere along the line I did figure out how to shake him and did not even realize it...I think it has a lot to do with gaining my self-confidence and finding my inner worth that has come with the weight loss...Did I say I love my sleeve? Well I do...I has given me so much more then weight loss. The sleeve is not a fix all but it sure does bring some things to the surface for you to deal with and I am so happy things around me are working themselves out so nicely. I am in such a happy place. I have no expectation of my new guy interests beyond him treating me with respect so if it works out we are just friends I am cool with that too because the starting of that friendship for me seal the deal that the bad relationship was no more. Happy Holidays to everyone... HW 232 & SW 227 (VSG 08/17/12 & 5'8) Week 16 182.0 Week 17 179.0 CW 177.6 [Total Weight Loss 54.4lbs] GW 155 [22.4lbs until Goal]

HW = 232 SW = 227 VSG = 08/17/12 Wk 1 (12/07) = 182 Wk 2 (12/14) = 183.4 Wk 3 (12/21) = 182 Wk 4 (12/28) = Final (01/01/13) = So my weight went the wrong way after traveling home last couple weeks n eating a laxed diet...but on the plus side. ..I am now a size 10...started at a size 18... Goal Weight is 174lbs by New Years....

HW = 232 SW = 227 VSG = 08/17/12 Wk 1 (12/07) = 182 Wk 2 (12/14) = Wk 3 (12/21) = Wk 4 (12/28) = Final (01/01/13) = Goal Weight is 174lbs by New Years....

Had surgery with Dr. Alvarez on 08/17/12 and have since lost 50lbs...Loving my sleeve...Healed up fantastic...Would recommend him in a heartbeat...Everything went so smooth from arrangement of the surgery to follow-up afterwards...I still email Dr. A and Susan with questions and they are always very prompt to respond... Want more details...private message me....

What a phenomenal week....and it really has nothing much to do with weight loss...though I had good numbers this week. But more on that in a second.... Yesterday my daughter had her baby so I have my first glam-baby as of 6:04pm 12/06/12. I am so proud...She went into labor about 10am and I was so worried I would not be here in time to witness the birth as she dilated so fast they expected her to deliver by 2pm. I got on the noon flight and was scheduled to land about 5pm...Well at about 1:30pm everything came to a stop...no matter how she pushed Amariana (my glam-baby) would not budge. She must have heard me crying in the Dallas Airport. Because after I got to the hospital things started picking back up and within 45 minutes of me being at the hospital we had a healthy baby girl weighing in at 5lbs 9oz and 18.5 inches long...(See pic below)... Onto the weight loss journey... I wore my size 11/12 jeans and medium shirt to work on Tuesday and everyone kept telling me how small I was...I felt so good...After getting home I of course decided to snap a picture to see what "looking good" was and I was so happy with the pic. I am so amazed how I have changed...My face is of course smaller...but my forehead looks bigger...neck looks longer...and even see collar bones again...I am reminded more and more how happy I am that I had the sleeve.... This week I resumed exercising and for that I was rewarded. This week I had a 4.2lbs loss...I am a bit nervous about keeping it off this week with me traveling back home with food I love to eat alot...But I am going to keep my workout game up so hopefully things balance up...And speaking of working out I had not worked out in 3 weeks so I was thinking I would be hard getting back in the mix...Suprisingly, I got in the treadmill intent on easing back into it and running a mile and maybe walking the other...Well turns out I got on there and ran the entire two miles...Again I love my sleeve because running was so hard on my knees and well my cardiovascular too for that matter...Now I am killing two miles with something still left in the tank...Half marathon here I come... With the 4.2 loss this week, I have lost my first 50lbs. I am just 27lbs from goal...I remember when I first started this journey I was so overwhelmed by the nearly 80lbs I needed to lose...Now in just 3 and half months...which has gone by so quickly I am more than half way to goal. HW 232 & SW 227 (VSG 08/17/12 & 5'8) LW 186.2 CW 182.0 [Weekly loss 4.2lbs] [Total Weight Loss 50lbs] GW 155 [27lbs until Goal]

Update...Agsin I had surgery on Aug 17th with Dr. Alvarez in Mexico (didnt meet insurance req n d states so was self pay)..still think its d best decision eva....seems scary to go to Mexico but he was a very skilled surgeon...almost painless..back at work 5 days post op...walking a mile on treadmill 7 days post op...running since 30 days post op...was on liquids for 3 weeks post op...1 week of soft foods before moving to solids 5 weeks out...Have lost 46lbs...my only complaint is I still have to take laxatives to have a BM...but 46lbs n 6 sizes down...I can deal with it...lbvs..here is a progress pic a few pounds ago.... [ATTACH]6847[/ATTACH]

So last week (week of Thanksgiving) was a crazy week because I went home to Arkansas to spend time with family... First off it was super fun...My daugther is having my first glam-baby and I got a chance to see my glam-baby on the ultrasound. We also had the baby shower the Saturday following Thanksgiving and it was fab as well..Okay I could go on and on about that because I am so happy but that is for another blog.. Well it was the first time any of my family had seen me since surgery and only my mom and daughter knew I had surgery...For the most part everyone had good things to say...My aunt and cousin jokingly called me a "crackhead" or a "cancer patient" as they said I was so small...They aint seen small yet...I got more pounds to lose before hitting my goal...As many of us VSG folk probably was, I was nervous about how I would be around so much food...good southern homemade food....Not to mention all the eateries that are my "have" to go to list when I am home...Admittedly, I did eat more carbs and sweets overall than I have eaten on any day since surgery. However, it was in such small quantity that I did not beat myself up about it. Instead, I just was more conscious about my calorie burn. I do not recall if I mentioned previously but I renewed my subscription to the bodybugg again. I am amazed of how much more efficient my body has become on a reduced calorie diet and less weight. Before the surgery and without any exercise I would burn 2500 calories a day doing just normal activity. Now, I am at 2000 calories a day...While in Arkansas I made sure to hit 2500 mark so I could burn off the extra calories I took on by indulging in cake and dips. In the end I only lost 0.8lbs te week of Thanksgiving. It is actually more than I had on my projected weight loss chart. I said I would lose nothing so I count it as a victory. Things have bounced back this week and I lost 2lbs. I am happy with that but I would like to get my weekly loss up to about 3lbs a week. I am going to get back on my workout regime as I fell all the way off these past 3 weeks. If I am to be running ( I mean running...now walking) a half marathon on June 1st, I need to be in the full swing of daily running like yesterday... And for the not so good...I have had some awesome victories since having my sleeve...My best NSV when I was in Arkansas is I wore my daughter size Large Monkey Suit (Onesie). I have wanted one of those for about two years but could not find one big enough...Well now I can wear a Junior Large...I also bought a Junior Large pair of Yoga pants from Kohls during after Thanskgiving sale...Another big moment...I wish I would have taken a pic with them on because even I must say I think I looked "skinny"..a relative term indeed but it was a skinny moment for me...And the oh girl you are gorgeous...girl you fine comments are coming...oh how I love my sleeve...I guess the best part is not the comments themselves but I actually feel pretty again... But oh back to the bad...My hair has started coming out in chunks...It is so thin...I am wearing hair make-up every day to color in my sides and I have to wear full and half wigs as my hair is so thin in the front. I have been wanting to cut it short anyway but I wanted to do that on my own time...Now entire otherwise healthy strings are hair is just all over the bathroom floor and sink with the slightest comb or brushing...I keep telling myself my doctor has said there are no bald weight loss patients...It will come back and I guess the good thing is when it comes back all the relaxer will be off and I can go naturally curly and short as I wanted to do anyways... I have an Ormin body fat monitor and previous to surgery it said my body fat (bf) was very high about 40.8%..I notice a couple of weeks ago, it now simply says high and now I am 34% bf. That and with some inspiration from my sleeve buddy I decided my next big goal was to get to a healthy bf and bmi. For my height that is 164lbs for a healthy BMI...Hopefully, with the workouts the bf comes on down as well...In the meantime, my interim goal is to be 175lb by Christmas...Gotta put in work to make it happen. I am posting some swim suit progress shots against my better judgement given this is the internet..but I want to give an honest reflection of me...Its hard to hide the flab in a two piece... Beware the photos are horrible but they are becoming less horrible as the months pass. Excuse the blur in the photo and that the distance the photos were taken were not exactly the same but I still think they reflect the 45lb weight loss... Until next week all.... HW 232 & SW 227 (VSG 08/17/12 & 5'8) LW 188.8 Week 14 Weight - 188.2 CW 186.2 [Total Weight Loss 43.2lbs] GW 155 [31.2lbs until Goal]

Weight before surgery - 232 Date of surgery - 08/17/12 (227 day of surgery) Beginnng Contest Weight (11/02/12) 192.8 Week 2 (11/08/12) - 190.8 Week 3 (11/15/12) - 188.8 Thxgiving (11/22/12) - 188.2 End of Month (11/30/12) - Goal weight for competition 182 Didn't make goal but I also didn't gain this week so Ima call this a win...on to the next challenge to get bck on track...Mo protein...mo water...back on the exercise regime...

Had a pretty busy two weeks and so got a lil behind in my blog. Took me off my good eating habits too so have to bring that back on track. All in all though has been a pretty good past two weeks weight loss wise...I have also set more goals for myself. I am starting a training schedule for a half marathon as I committed to run my first one on June 01, 2013. Having goals like this keep me on target. Not only does it keep me focused to work out but also keeps me eating right as I do not want to erode my hard work with bad food choices. I have run into a few folks on the forums that are steadfast believers that working out does not speed up weight loss and they may be right...However, I am not just going for skinny I am going for healthy and fit. Working out is part of my overall healthy lifestyle and it sure doesnt hurt to realize the toning payoffs I am getting from working out. I also know there will be a time where the weight loss settles out and I want to make sure that exercise is apart of my life so that the weight doesnt find itself back. Now for the NSV's that I experienced over the last two weeks. The first one was an underhanded compliment...almost insult but crazy enough it made me feel so darn good...I posted a pic on FB and pretty soon I got a call from a relative. He first said that cannot be you in the pic...I of course said it was and he said you are so darn skinny...If I did not know any better I would swear you on crack because you lost so much weight so fast...Uh yeah..(he doesnt know about the surgery)...I laughed so hard..and got tingles because while I am not skinny I feel skinny as compared to where I was...2nd NSV was I was out on the town the other weekend and saw an old friend and he didn't speak. I am was wondering what was up...Well he finally came to me after a bit and said Helga I did not recognize you...You lost so much weight...You look damn good...Oh why thank you...And the third NSV was I had to buy new belts and bras I was on the last loop of all my belts before surgery. Now even the last loop on the belt is too loose so had to get another one. My bras are no longer considered plus size (40B pre surgery)...Now I am a 36B...I love the selection I have now...One thing I did notice though while trying on bras is that my boobs are a lil saggy...Might have to perk these lil T-shirt boobies back up...I dont want big boobs but I want what I have to be perky... Finally, I have attached my 3 month progress photos. I have had an amazing and rewarding journey thus far. I am just 34lbs from my goal, though I am starting to rethink whether I want to move my goal to 165lbs vs 155lbs. I can currently wear some size 11 jeans and I am still nearly 190lbs. I always thought I would be comfortable at a size 9. In fact, I still think I would so I am going to see how things work out weight wise with me fitting into a comfortable size 9. Depending on the number, this might be my new goal weight. HW 232 & SW 227 (VSG 08/17/12 & 5'8) LW 192.0 Week 11 Weight - 190.8 CW 188.8 [Total Weight Loss 43.2lbs ] GW 155