Carly4HandinSD

Can't believe I am already 6 months post op! While I will never forget where I started, it is starting to be a distant memory and my new life is better than I ever could have imagined!! The struggles in the beginning were worth it, after all who wouldn't have struggles when you do something like we have done. I just try and take it one day at a time, we all have our good days and bad, but you can't let one bad day overtake all the progress that has been made! Loving my sleeve still!

I was a huge coffee drinker as well. I liked flavored creamer with a little coffee added LOL. Now that I have the ok to drink coffee I actually do iced coffees. I use coffee, non fat milk, unflavored protein powder, and I get the sugar free Torani flavored syrups. They taste amazing to me! I use usually Gevalia or Starbucks ground coffee in my keurig machine. If I want to make more of a frappaccino type drink I will use flavored protein powderwith coffee and some light soy vanilla milk and ice.. or use the premier protein shakes with ice and coffee to make it thicker. For some reason warm coffee doesn't agree with me, so I always have to drink cold things now... It's fine with me as long as I still get my coffee fix.. you just have to be careful becuase you need to make sureyou still get your water in and don't substitute a cold drink for any water since coffee can dehydrate you

7 1/2 months out down 125 pounds starting 366 Current 242 Height - 5'5

I am 7 1/2 months out and down 121 pounds. I have been at a stall for a few weeks, but am really losing inches even thought the scale isn't moving right now. I don't mind it one bit! I started in a size 26/28 pants size. This weekend I went shopping and bought... get this a size 13 in the juniors section... OMG I could not beleive it, a size 13... that is half of what I was wearing before.. The last time I bought juniors size clothing was in elememntary school! Another amazing NSV was the for the first time in my life I was able to shop at Vistoria Secrets... 112$ later and it was super worth it... I have never felt so normal in my life.. The only down side of all this weight loss is that my cup size has gone up :/ So weird, most women lose weight in their boobs.. but not me... I have gone way down in band size but up in cup.. maybe I was wearing the wrong size to begin with HAHAHA. Sorry guys, this was a rant probably better for women But none the less I am super happy with my results and have no intention of stopping anytime soon

I feel I do have enough energy with my workouts and not eating a lot. I do find myself on days that I do boxing/kickboxing I eat more Protein. Yesterday I did a boxing class in the afternoon, so for Breakfast I had a Protein shake, lunch was chicken, snack in the morning were nuts, afternoon snack was beef Jerky and for dinner I had ground beef... Doing more protein then needed on work out days seem to help. It all just depends, I had to work my way back up to having a good energy level. I still have days though when I am exhausted.

Thank you everyone, this journey we are all on is an amazing one! I look back at how far I have come in a little over 6 months and am so ever thankful for this surgery. The outward appearance is just a small part of all of the changes that have become from surgery!

Thank you again everyone for the kind words of encouragement. My Stats are on my signature (weight) and my profile for height. I don't really have any tips, I just my new small tummy as a tool for sucess. I Work out doing boxing and kickboxing at a professional boxing gym at least 2 times a week, they are hour long classes. I try and take walks with my family and dog on the weekends for a few miles. I just watch what I eat very carefully on myfitness pal. I stay under 800 cals , under 40 carbs and get at least 60 grams of protein. Those are the only 2 things that I really concern myself with.

Thank you everyone for the nice and encouraging words. It is an amazing feeling to go through the tranformation we all are going through

I started my journey 4 1/2 months ago at 366 pounds. My goal is to lose 216 of that. Since day of surgery I have lost 95.2 pounds which means I am so close to being at the half way mark of my losing goal! I believe that it is possible and I know that in the next few months my losing will slow down. I am ok with that, I don't care how long it takes me to get to my goal, I have it set to get there. I know that there will be a point where I stop losing, if I am short of my goal I will be ok with that. I just know that there is no other way I could have lost what I have without my sleeve. Where ever I end up I am far better off then where I started and to me that makes this surgery a success

I was 5'5 when this all started, however now I am measuring in closer to 5'4

Thank you Thank you

Thank you everyone It is a great feeling to have such positive feedback!! All the comments make me feel great and so happy!!

Awesome! You look great

Super stoked with the week I had! finally after having some slow losing weeks It picked up again! My goal to reach 100 pounds lost by valentines day is actually very close in sight!! That will also be my 5 month post op anniversary!! Can't wait to reach that first big accomplishment!!

I am having a hard time adding people from my phone for some reason, but please feel free to add me if you haven't already User name is: Carly4Hand

Pirate's Booty are almost like puffy cheetos, but a little better for you. I use them on days when I need to get my carbs up a little from a work out. They are really good!! I get the .5 ounce snack bags and they are perfect! I know funny name! I usually find them near the baked chips or "healthy" chips section of the store.

I am about 4 1/2 months out and have a few favorites: Frozen grapes, green or red - I prefer the red I think they taste like Candy. I can eat about 6-10 depending on the size. I love baby carrots with the lighthouse jalapeno ranch dressing to dip them in. Laughing cow light chipotle cheese with the wheat thin toasted chips Pirates Booty string cheese with apples or grapes Fruit salad (1/4 banana, 1 slice apple, few grapes, blackberries) lunch meats rolled around a string cheese My list goes on Hope this gives some ideas!

Thank you both! Good luck to you as well

I am going to be doing my very first 5K this weekend! It is a fun one called the Electric Run. It's at night and its with tons of neon lights and music! I can't wait! I plan to jog/walk it. I am not setting a time goal, my goal is to just finish it and most of all have fun!!!! Wish me luck P.S.... is there anyone in the San Diego area that is also doing this one???

My resting heart rate was about 120. They did the extra test to make sure I didn't have anything else going on. Once I was cleared they just had me start a low dose beta blocker 2 weeks prior to surgery to bring it down. It helped. Right after surgery I was off the meds and my heart rate was normal and has been ever since!

I had an EKG and then had to have an echo cardiogram done when they received the results from my EKG. I also had to where a heart monitor for 24 hours. However, I knew going into it that I had a irregularly high heart rate. They did these extra steps to ensure that my heart could handle the effects of surgery and anesthesia. Each insurance may require something different for cardiac clearance. Might be as simple as an EKG.

Month 1 - 33 pounds Month 2 - 23 pounds Month 3 - 20 pounds first 3 months I lost 76 pounds total. I am now 4 1/2 months out and down 93 pounds. However, I started at a very high weight of 366, so I had a high starting weight with a high BMI.