slimagainsoon

I'm 8 weeks out and on a regular diet (yes, including those dastardly carbs). I can toterate everything cept ice cream (gives me hours of stomach cramps. Just not worth it). I'm now sposed to be eating just 3 meals a day. I think I'd starve on 3 meals a day. I can only eat maybe 6 bites and I'm done. I figured out my calories and even with a Protein shake I'd only be getting less than 450.
So I'm eating much more often. I wasn't one of u lucky ones to lose their appetite. Mines been there since day #10. In fact, since I eat so little, I'm hungry more often.
I'm traveling right now in another state and on our way down last week we stopped at In and Out Burger (something we don't have in OR - thank God!) and I ordered a cheeseburger. I was able to eat about 5 bites. Went in the cooler for later. I nibbled on it all day till it was gone. I don't think I'm sposed to be able to eat a whole cheeseburger even over the course of a whole day, am I?
Please don't tell me that cheeseburgers are what got me here and be all preachy. I know all this. I was lapbanded for almost 4 yrs prior to this and am still trying to figure out how to eat. I also know that I got wls in the first place because I was tired of dieting. And for the most part, I haven't "dieted" since getting my lapband.
Until now...I'm watching my calories on MFP. Trying to stay under 1,000. My NUT thinks thats starvation (I'm the 1st sleeve he's worked with and he's tickled to have a "pet project") and I've told him that most wls patients actually eat much lower than 1,000 calories. The past few days I've averaged about 900 calories a day (with traveling, I think thats a start!) and I've bounced between the same 2 lbs the past 4 weeks. I see everyones incredible weightloss (some are going over 40 lbs in 4 weeks!) and I see my 18 lbs loss in 8 weeks (which I started at 174 so I new I'd lose slower, but this is ridiculous) and gasp.
I guess I have no questions. Just wanted to point out that not all of us enjoy the "no hunger" part of being sleeved. I had 1/2 of a fish taco about 2 hrs ago and I'm starving. I'm now eyeing the other 1/2. If I ate everytime I'm hungry, I could eat about as much as I did previously.
So those of you who have no hunger, consider yourself lucky!

Hello Kat
Sounds like you're doing great.... I've always been very muscular in my legs
I am down 123 pounds.... I need to lose 13 pounds to make my BMI in my normal weight.... My doctor has readjusted my goal weight as of my last appointment two weeks ago..... He had first had my goal weight at 175 by my anniversary date of surgery December 26... But when I went to my six month appointment I was already 175... So now he's lowered me down to 147 (The man is killing me )... So now I have to lose 26 pounds more... Mainly in my legs ...These last three weeks have been very slow weight loss for me.... I work retail And my two days off I donate myself to help watch the grandkids while they are out of school oh joy ... So I have not been exercising correctly actually very little if it all I need to get back on the ball.... I've been lazy I will say it
Patty
Good luck everyone

I'm 10lbs to my personal goal. It seems I only lose on days I eat like crap...lol. I'm currently in a size 8 down from a size 28 and currently in size small tops, down from xxl. I'm leaving for Amsterdam in 10 days and I'm so excited to be able to fit comfortably in the airplane seats. I'm finally living my life in stead of watching it pass me by.

Katie, I do the same thing! I look in the mirror and still see the same Cherie! Then 10 people say something to me about how much thinner I am...I just see me!

I am 130 lbs down with about 30 more pounds to go! I am way behind with pictures though. I am feeling great, doing so much more than a year ago...really got my life back and I'm loving it. I have gone from a tight 28 to a 16 and a 5x to an xl/1x.

Wow I love the quick replies from you all .. Well I guess since all of us are over 6/7 months out its just a one day at a time thing for us.. Don't allow yourself to loose focus because someone is doing better then you or almost at goal and so on and so forth.. Because. We are all different heights we all started out at different weights and we all have different goals we want to personally reach we all also had different ways of dealing with our weight loss some work out 5-7 days a week when others well only 3 we will not all have the same results in the same time frame because we all eat and workout differently my point is keep reaching for you not for the person ahead of you or behind you.. THIS IS YOUR JOURNEY!!! This is your last chance at a healthier better life. This is what you wanted as an individual so go out and get it.. I love all of you guys and I want to see each and everyone of you reach goal or get as close as the weight loss Gods will allow you to. Good luck everyone.. I'm in your corner even when your not in your own corner.. Good luck and keep up the good work everyone!

I'm new here and this is my first post. My husband suggested I reach out and talk to the people who know best (I think he was referring to health care professionals....but if you want the nitty gritty, you have to go to the people who REALLY know!) I am a military wife and am moving right along with the steps to the surgery. My husband was/is very supportive about this decision. My mother is not, but she keeps quiet ( I think it's more out of fear because I am her only daughter and the youngest and besides....Mamma's don't like their babies having the majority of one of their organs removed!) My best friend (and Im not talking about someone I've known for like a year or two, I mean attached at the hip for the last 15 years type of best friend) she is definitely NOT in support of this decision. More on all this at a later post. I wonder if I'm taking this SERIOUSLY. I know all about the hard work, the ups and downs and the losing and regaining, the slowly not being able to fit into those FANTASTIC jeans that you loved so much and were soooo proud of when you could finally get down to the size to fit them but as you gain weight they just get a little tighter and tighter until they also go into that stock pile of "my skinny" clothes that lurk in the back of the closet. BELIEVE ME, I KNOW!!!! I have battled my weight as far back as I can remember. I remember the elementary school wanting to put me on a "suggested" diet in the 2nd grade and me going on my first "official" diet when I was 12.......18 years later....here I am!!! Ok. So what I'm getting at is that I'm no stranger to being overweight, losing it, and putting it right back on.....but when I think about my stomach being "mostly" cut out.....I don't really feel anything. No jitters or butterflies.......almost like it's not real. The hard work does not frighten me. The pain that comes with the surgery does not frighten me. My eye is on the prize. I imagine my perfect self (and in this order.....a little vain, but come on, you've done it too) 1. Wearing a very fashionable, classy, and slimming outfit that becomes me so I can show myself off...you know, the kind that turn a few heads and gets u a little attention 2. Jogging the neighborhood with my husband and keeping up with him (and yes I'm talking about one of them "commercial" jogs. You know the ones where you are just trotting along, not out of breath and smiling, waving at the neighbors.....and nothing is jiggling that shouldn't be jiggling) and 3. playing in the front yard with my future kid. I mean REALLY playing and not sitting on the front steps and just watching the action. That's me. My perfect self. It's far fetched I know. Real world is that heavy or not, 1. the perfect outfit is out there its just by the time I put it all together I'm super late for whatever I'm wearing it for, my husband is aggravated and cussing and it usually rains during all my special occasions and my hair frizzes 2. Anybody who is jogging, smiling and waving at the same time deserves to be run over. 3. I know the future kid is out there, but get real. There has to be a reason that I am 30 years old and only own two dogs...right.....right? So, is this real? Are there other pre-stomachless people out there who feel the same as me? Undaunted by surgery, the risks, and "THE DIET OF ALL DIETS" and living in some la-la land dreaming about my perfect self??

This is the first time I have been confident in getting rid of big clothes, even those with tags that I never did wear.
I consider it just one more expense of the surgery.

I cleaned out my closet 3 months ago filled 4 black garbage bags and then let them sit in the garage. Finally gave them to someone I work with For their son and he himself has a large family so he only gets close for his kids and spend very little on himself there many new shirts and pants so hopefully he'll be extremely appreciative of them. It made me feel good because his mother who I work with is always very supportive of my journey.

I donated my clothes to the Diabetes Association. When I went into their store I saw all my clothes hanging on hangers...It was the weirdest thing really..But I had a real sense of pride because they no longer fit me and I am sure that others will get use out of them.......
As Martha Stewart says.." It's a good thing."

My wife made me go through my clothes to get rid of my oversized clothes this weekend. I was more than happy to donate but had a problem getting rid of my new and almost new ( some still had the tags on them) expensive suits, slacks, and shirts. I had a wave of what if I regain the weight I lost- what would I have to wear? My wife kindly said, you have not cheated, drink only Water, and exercise like a maniac. So how is that going to happen? I then got into it and donated the clothes to the Veterans Administration, The Red Cross, and to a local Dress for Success chapter for lower income men looking to enter the workforce.
All are great causes, but it was still hard getting rid of items I never or barely wore 2-3 times. Has anyone experienced this or am I being crazy?

I'm 10 mths post-op and (knock on wood) everything has been smooth sailing. About two weeks ago I noticed that everytime after I eat I run to the bathroom. Literally not more than 10-15 mins after. It's becoming annoying. My first week post-op I had trouble going but soon everything became normal. My urination has always been sporadic but no big deal. I know I should call my surgeon but I figured I would ask y'all first. Sometimes you guys have answers that the docs don't have. Like the slimies. I couldn't believe I had the worst time describing the feeling to my doctor and then what happens.
Well Let me Know if anyone else at this stage has this problem.
Hugs
Juicee

@wink. I can do them in stages and how ever anyone would want them.

Hey ppl. Anyone interested in doing pics? I recently got back into photography. I am 13 mon out and as part of my biz approach, I want to work with bariatric patients and photograph their before and/or after photos. I know what it's like not wanting to be in pics. Lol. But now I jump in every opportunity I get. If interested then let me know. Plward14@yahoo.com

Good lord, I can't type! I meant to say "is there anyone ELSE from Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill?"

I did the 2 week Liquid Protein diet twice because the first time my surgery got cancelled because of an emergency...A week later I started all over again....You can do this....it is the easy part..LOL

Hang in there. It's a step towards your sleeve and at the end of the journey, and even through much of it, you will feel awesome and be incredibly proud of yourself for going though it.

When I first had my surgery I went to the gym faithfully and walked. But once I started back to work I haven't been able to work out as much and my weight is coming off just find. A friend of minds had the same surgery and claims she work out everyday and yes she is losing but minds coming off faster. Everybody is different. She weighted more then me that might had a factor in it.

It will level out! If you feel that you have lost too much you can increase your calories. However, its good to lose an extra twenty once you near goal because my surgeon told me that after five years its a fifty percent chance the weight can come back on. Noooo, I do not want to go back to the plus sizes. I am enjoying wearing size twelve. People keep saying don't lose no more, like I got control of how much to lose. However, I want to wear size ten. Good luck you will be fine, just keeping eating healthy and getting your exercise in. You can still have curves and be slim.

Since the surgery is irreversible, I would want to be sure before I did it. Do you feel you can do this on your own and succeed? Have you done it before and kept the weight off for a long time? If so, it might make sense to try again.
For me, nothing was working. I was eating very little and was still unable to lose it. When I did, it was always through drastic means and it would all come back even higher than before. I went into this with zero doubts and was very sure that i was not going to be able to do it on my own.
Having said that, I read posts here all the time about people who vacillated until the moment of the surgery so I think it comes down to how decisive you are. I am very decisive. If I'm waffling, there's a good reason why, even if I can't pinpoint it, and I have learned to listen to my gut.
If you are not always decisive (read, opinionated like me, lol) then if may just be a matter of reading as much as you can, and being as sure as you can before you proceed.

I don't know your exact circumstances obviously but I have spent almost my entire adult gaining and losing weight. Every time I have lost weight through diet and exercise I have felt really great and felt like I was on track to reach my goal and then eventually I have had something get in the way that broke me out of the healthy habits (frequently injuries) and I have gained the weight back plus more. I had the exact same doubts and questions you are expressing now but I realized that cancelling the surgery and doing the same thing all over again and expecting different results was truly crazy. I was just afraid of the surgery and the changes it will require in my life to all of the familiar things that I have loved for so long. It's a big change and a big commitment. I got my sleeve 8/13 and I am taking it one day at a time. Whatever decision you make, I wish you the very best, but please make sure you understand WHY you are making that decision before you make it.

I'm 6 months out down 112 and 2 pounds away from goal but I decided to change it to 10 more pounds since I'm doing so well

Hey Soror!
I think everyone is different. I know my Dr initially thought I'd lose most of my weight by the 6 month mark...I've been stalled for 7 of my almost 10 weeks so I'm sure I won't make that.
I have seen where some of those with less to lose make it in 6 months or less.

It's normal right after surgery because the first month you will lose the most. When I went for my two weeks ck up I had lose twelve. The dr said most lost twenty in the first month. Enjoy, because there will be stalls! Congrats! On joining the losers bench!

I feel like the last few pounds are going to be a chore I feel like giving up! But give up to what? Its not like I have much of a stomach to talk about and its not like I can really cheat to my own satisfaction. The cheat is limited as would be the satisfaction. I know stalls make us feel this way but I also feel like the scale just wont move anymore... I am annoyed with my own feelings right now.. I wish I would just reach goal.. I guess because the first 6 months were so simple to have it all stop/slow down now is discouraging.. I guess a part of me knew this day would come but Ugggg why not just let me finish then maintain the loss? I WONT GIVE UP!!!! I know it will come off even if it takes the rest of the year to do it!!! I WONT GIVE UP!