Fair2bslimLady

Hi I wanted to know if anyone has tried shakeology? I am 16 months out and I have not hit my goal weight and I am trying very hard to get there......

don't beat yourself up, I was a slow loser very slow but I rather lose slow instead of nothing. Change it up drink more Water workout harder just change it up, cut out carbs or anything that may have too much sugar.

don't beat yourself up, I was a slow loser very slow but I rather lose slow instead of nothing. Change it up drink more Water workout harder just change it up, cut out carbs or anything that may have too much sugar.

Its not over until its over, take a breath and start again, I thought eating healthy would taste horrible but I have actually made it taste great.

The sleeve has not failed you....it's what you choose to put in your mouth or your really close to goal and it does go slower the closer to goal you get. Go back to basics and eat Proteins, veggies, and drink lots of Water.....You got this!

I just realized that tomorrow will be my 2 year surgiversary. I was where most of you are today stressing about the ride to the hospital. Now, 2 years later, I have been at my goal weight of under 150 for a year now. For all you out there, YOU can do this. What a change to my life and my health. No, it has not all been easy. No, I still can't eat very much, but!!! I wear a size 8 for the first time in my 51 year life. I sleep all night without snoring. I don't feel like I'm being stared at because I'm big. I fit in movie theater and airplane seats. My knees and ankles don't hurt. Because, nothing tastes as good as skinny feels. No regrets. Keep dreaming for a new life.
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My son and I at his wedding in May

Once I accepted that I wasn't going to lose 120 pounds in 5 months, I actually started feeling much better! Remember..it is just a number, take pleasure in the other little things that the 1 to 2 pound a month or a week or whatever it is loss allows you. Such as..fitting on a ride, crossing your legs, shopping in a regular size store.
For me..I just got my bloodwork back for my 6 month anniversary and for the first time in at least 10 years..my Lipid panel is completely normal!!! I was so pumped..no drugs, no lecture from the doctor lol, just plain exercise and diet. I have reduced my risk of heart disease and a whole host of future complications. I revel in that despite the fact that I didn't lose a pound in July. It is all perspective and we all know I am not a fan of being a slave to the scale! Now if my scale looked like Hugh Jackman, that might a different story

See how far you have come... Keep reminding yourself where you were and where you are today. Also keep taking steps to where you want to be in this journey.

I don't mind my slow loss. I feel and look great down almost 60 lbs
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Thank you for this thread!!! I started at 248 and now at 197lbs, 51 pounds in five months was sleeved 1/28/13 and so much happier and healthier once I started going to the gym my body loved it and the pounds where flying off now it seems like its taking a break and that's ok with me because I started at a size 18 and now a size 12 so my body is still losing inches even if I don't move on the scale, just keep eating clean and working out, being healthy does not have an expiration date or a goal weight that you can stop being healthy. Stay strong it's hard I know, but remember its hard to be fat too and I rather fight to be healthy. On bad days I try on clothes that never fit before and tell myself to just push through it.....

Thank you for this thread!!! I started at 248 and now at 197lbs, 51 pounds in five months was sleeved 1/28/13 and so much happier and healthier once I started going to the gym my body loved it and the pounds where flying off now it seems like its taking a break and that's ok with me because I started at a size 18 and now a size 12 so my body is still losing inches even if I don't move on the scale, just keep eating clean and working out, being healthy does not have an expiration date or a goal weight that you can stop being healthy. Stay strong it's hard I know, but remember its hard to be fat too and I rather fight to be healthy. On bad days I try on clothes that never fit before and tell myself to just push through it.....

Thank you for this thread!!! I started at 248 and now at 197lbs, 51 pounds in five months was sleeved 1/28/13 and so much happier and healthier once I started going to the gym my body loved it and the pounds where flying off now it seems like its taking a break and that's ok with me because I started at a size 18 and now a size 12 so my body is still losing inches even if I don't move on the scale, just keep eating clean and working out, being healthy does not have an expiration date or a goal weight that you can stop being healthy. Stay strong it's hard I know, but remember its hard to be fat too and I rather fight to be healthy. On bad days I try on clothes that never fit before and tell myself to just push through it.....

Thank you for this thread!!! I started at 248 and now at 197lbs, 51 pounds in five months was sleeved 1/28/13 and so much happier and healthier once I started going to the gym my body loved it and the pounds where flying off now it seems like its taking a break and that's ok with me because I started at a size 18 and now a size 12 so my body is still losing inches even if I don't move on the scale, just keep eating clean and working out, being healthy does not have an expiration date or a goal weight that you can stop being healthy. Stay strong it's hard I know, but remember its hard to be fat too and I rather fight to be healthy. On bad days I try on clothes that never fit before and tell myself to just push through it.....

This is my third long post on my journey so far. Probably should have been a blog, but no time to keep it up! Thanks for hanging in there with me!


“If you work at something with total commitment for a really long time, you will succeed.” 8th grade runner, in newspaper story.
Such a simple but profound statement from a young girl who set out to change her life by running. A statement that has come to define my journey.
I gauge my progress by non-weight goals. Yes, I do weigh in every morning. I do love to see the scale go down. But my real excitement comes not from the number of my weight, but from the increasing quality of my life.
The time I started trying on all my clothes and ended with a totally empty walk-in closet!
The first time I walked a mile in 20 years!
Sitting in a seat in a plane and not touching the person next to me anywhere!
The first time I felt a lump, thought it was a tumor and realized it was a bone!!!
Walking out of Coldwater Creek—a store I had always longed to shop in--with a bag full of clothes!
I feel like I have been let out of a cage. I am excited about life every single day. Even the hard days.
Joy, empowerment, potential…these are the things that keep me on track. However, every outcome involves a journey, and there are a few essential tools that keep me focused. You’ve probably heard all these before. Even if you have, when you start doing these things yourself you’ll feel like you’ve made a terrific discovery you want to share with the world!
Here, then, are my tools for success.
1. My Fitness Pal… Except for the time when my life was consumed with taking care of my dying sister, I have tracked every bite I’ve eaten almost every single day. This has been the most valuable thing I’ve ever done. Why have I stopped losing? I’ll look back over the last month or so. Oh… I see I’ve added in a couple of tablespoons of Peanut Butter a night. Could that be it? Oh… I see that a greater proportion of my daily calories is coming from carbs. Could that be it? Knowing that no one will see it but me, I am completely honest. You can download it for free for your smart phone or computer. If you don’t have one, just track somewhere! Track everything!
2. An honest assessment of my eating habits and problems… You may want to read my old post, “Sneaks, Snacks, Sweets and Lies… “ I posted this when it first began to get hard, and it seemed to resonate with a lot of people. I continue to live by this each day.
3. Protein. I HATED the protein regimen when I first started it. Now, I love to have my Protein Drink almost never miss a day. You know those delicious Starbucks Mocha-Frappes? The ones with about 500 calories? Well, I figured out that the ingredient that gives it its flavor is espresso! So now I go to Starbucks every few days and get 6 shots of espresso, straight. Into the blender goes ice, 2 shots of espresso, Water, maybe a little coffee, and chocolate Protein powder. I top it off with a little real whipped cream! 150 calories and low carb! Yum!!! I have energy for hours, and believe it or not, espresso has much less caffeine than real coffee!
4. Mostly Low carb diet: Once upon a time I craved carbs every 20 minutes or so. Now, I long for them but don’t crave them. The difference is huge. Craving: Addiction. Longing: Eh… that would be nice, but I can do without. If I eat heavy carbs, I crave them. If I begin my day with refined carbs, I want them all day. I don’t obsess about them, but I am careful about them. If I want a couple of bites of baked potato, I have it. About once a week I have a McDonald’s vanilla cone. But toast for Breakfast? Hash browns and French fries? Cookies and chips? If I eat these things for a couple of days, I feel poisoned, and I don’t lose weight. If ever I get seriously off track—and I have—for an entire month at a time, I know that to get back on track I first have to cut out the carbs. Then it gets to be easy again.
I made a commitment to myself. If I was going to undergo major surgery, with all its potential risks, I was going to totally commit to the process. If I never reach my personal goal—and with as much as I have to lose, it’s possible I won’t—it won’t be because I didn’t give it my all, for as long as it takes.
The last thing I want to share with you in a separate post is dealing with food addiction. Watch for it soon!
Hope this helps!

I'm ok, I had a follow up CT Thursday, there was some debate as to if the leak is closed or not so I drank blue dye and waited 24 hours to see if it showed in my drain. It never did! I've been able to start Clear liquids but as of today we still aren't 100% sure I'm healed so I'm only drinking brightly colored crystal light to see if anything shows up. If by tomorrow all is still good I will switch to oral pain meds and get Protein shakes! The hope is to go home without my PICC.
Also as of today my white blood cell count is normal for the first time since the leak was found.

I tried one this morning about 4 oz or so of it, and I have to say that I saw a difference especially in my energy level, I workout for about an 1hr before I realized the time, after I had a Protein Shake and lots of Water, I got it from GNC and made sure it dint have so of the stuff you guys mentioned, I dont feel jitters but I do feel like I had a great workout, just read and get as much information that you can before trying anything, thank you for the input guys really helped, I wont use it for every workout but it will be there for the days that I need the extra boost in my behind.

Thank you for the information I really appreciate. I love my sleeve but I have found a new love of the GYM too and just need some support because I give it my all. I will look into it and start slow. My fitness pal name is fair2bslimlady feel free to add me.

I do Xtend which is a BCAA pre workout and then follow up post workout with my Protein Drink. My trainer does require that I eat something with at least 30 grams of carbs prior to my training session so that I have the energy stores to get through the workout. It must be working because I just did my body composition scan yesterday and I'm at 18.5% body fat. To hit my ideal body fat I need to lose .4 of a pound and gain in 2 pounds of muscle. Sure feels great compared to where I was over a year ago.

That's amazing! Congratulations on your progress!

Hang in there, I was sleeved Jan 28 and down 50 pounds I want it to be more but hey that's the way my body is and I have to say that I rather lose slow instead of never losing. Stay strong believe in you workout, eat your Protein and make good choices.

Hang in there, I was sleeved Jan 28 and down 50 pounds I want it to be more but hey that's the way my body is and I have to say that I rather lose slow instead of never losing. Stay strong believe in you workout, eat your Protein and make good choices.

The biggest thing to keep in mind, at least to me, is that you need to remember that you WILL have stalls. Sometimes long stalls. With "diets", this the point where most of us just give up OR we try crazy ways to make the scale show us a smaller number. We don't really have that option once we've had 85% of our stomach permanently removed. Some folks do try to resort to zanier things to get through the stall. It's not worth it. Just keep to your doctor's plan and you will bust through the stall.
Stalls are actually good for us. It's our body catching up with the weight loss. Some folks who regularly take body measurements have found that they are still losing inches even though the scale isn't showing a loss.
My first stall started at week 3 and lasted for THREE weeks.
To keep successful for the rest of your life? Use what you learn after the surgery and keep with it. Protein first, drink your fluids, enjoy life! I was talking with someone else the other day and said that I'm restricted to about a maximum of 1 cup of food at a meal. It's up to ME to pick the right foods. I could eat a cup of Hershey's Kisses.. or I could have 3 ounces of grilled chicken breast, 1/4 vegetables, and maybe some fruit. (I do need work on drinking my fluids - I just seem to have "Fluid amnesia".)

Hi, are there any other July sleevers out there. Golly it feels like forever away... 10 weeks to go...

I'm 3 months out and eat about 800 cal. Somedays a bit more and other days a bit less. Trying to worry less about how often I eat and let my sleeve guide me. Definitely have had lots of head hunger over the past few months. My NUT says count calories and Protein, the rest will fall into place. I use My Fitness Pal to track my food.< /p>

I'm 4 months out and for the last 2 I keep them around 800-1000 per day. My dietician is like Erps in that she wants me to concentrate on calories and Protein. I also use my fitness pal.