Geminidrive

Seems like nothing helps but time.

I was a diet Pepsi drinker and haven't had any problem giving it up. Maybe taking a look at the bigger picture of being healthier might help. Sometimes giving up something is not as bad as you think it will be.

For me, I pack my lunch if I'm going into my local office and if not, I can kinda eyeball how much to eat if purchasing in the cafeteria. I don't use smaller plates or utensils, when I start to get that feeling in my esophagus or as I call it "auto cut-off" I stop and the rest gets tossed. The portions are small to begin with so I don't feel bad about tossing the rest. I think in the beginning it was difficult for me to get that concept, but now its not a problem.

I don't have any tattoos nor can I relate to what you are experiencing with your mom, but I do wish in time things work out for you and your mother. Can we see the tattoo, I'm sure it is beautiful!

FYI
For all PB2 Lovers who don't have a local grocery store that carries PB2, Amazon has a sale:

PB2 Powdered Peanut Butter 6.5oz - $4.60
PB2 Powdered Peanut Butter (with Chocolate) 6.5oz - $3.90

Both are add-on items that ship with qualifying orders over $25 and are eligible for free shipping.

But what I want to know is....
1. Do you look FORWARD to your meals and Snacks? I never thought about that before, sometimes yes, but not all the time.
2. Do you ENJOY what you eat? Yes, but just limit what I eat and make sure it is healthy.
3. Do you feel satisfied with the taste given how little you can actually eat? Yes, I love flavor, if they told me that all food had to be bland I would be in trouble.
4. Do you feel better the further out you get when you do get to eat a little more? I log my food daily so I pretty much eat the same caloric/protein/carb intake, but I deviate occasionally. I really don't have an answer for that one.
5. Do you feel the majority of sleevers can eat whatever they want, so long as the portion is right? I think this is an individual thing, some will be fine others not so much.
6. How has your feelings or attitudes changed about food? No.
7. Is there anything you really wish you could eat, that you can't? (And if so, do you get over that?) No.
8. Can you still eat spicy foods? (curries, peppers, etc) Yes, but have a bit of difficulty with the extreme hot foods (with scotch bonnet peppers) because you can't drink when eating.

FYI
For all PB2 Lovers who don't have a local grocery store that carries PB2, Amazon has a sale:

PB2 Powdered Peanut Butter 6.5oz - $4.60
PB2 Powdered Peanut Butter (with Chocolate) 6.5oz - $3.90

Both are add-on items that ship with qualifying orders over $25 and are eligible for free shipping.

FYI
For all PB2 Lovers who don't have a local grocery store that carries PB2, Amazon has a sale:

PB2 Powdered Peanut Butter 6.5oz - $4.60
PB2 Powdered Peanut Butter (with Chocolate) 6.5oz - $3.90

Both are add-on items that ship with qualifying orders over $25 and are eligible for free shipping.

Good for you, I'm not a fan of Winter.

Puja and Aussiegirl, Those feelings are exactly why my weight loss journey is an open book. I offer up a copy of my "fat pictures" anytime someone asks me about my weight loss and I'm always happy to send someone here to read. I'm a walking testimonial to WLS, especially the sleeve! I've seen quite a few people who have started their own diet and exercise/WLS journey since I have had such amazing results and it humbles me to think that I might have had a small part in that. Two of my girlfriends are having surgery this month, one with the same group of doctors I used and the other in Mexico. I've received a few private messages on Facebook from people who tell me that I inspired them to start their own weight loss journey, or to get back into the gym. Those messages outweigh the sister in law who won't speak to me because my posts about my workouts, weight loss, or food goals offend her. BTW, one of the gals going for WLS was one who was mad at me for awhile because she said I had attitude. She's now picking my brain for info about the surgery. I'm glad to have her back in my life and thrilled that she's being proactive for her health.

Yes! I hated getting advice from people on how to lose weight - especially when it came from someone who had managed to lose weight. It somehow made me feel worse, and like more of a failure.
Of course when someone personally asks me, I open the gates and let the information flow! (Along with the support, of course)

I have no other choice, I have to walk my big pooch.....he is loving the long walks.

Friends are with you when you need them, she isn't a friend. It's very simple, friends don't act like that.

I didn't eat anything, I progressed from liquids, purée and then regular foods on schedule.

Awe, hopefully it will get better. Unfortunately this thread will probably get jacked too.

Time to vent and whine. I'm 4 days post op and doing great. But I'm sick of sleeping on my back in a recliner. It's making my hips hurt. My back hurts. This drain is really annoying me. And I am counting down the hours until I can have cottage cheese.
Also getting sick of reading through threads thinking there will be useful information. Only to get to page three and see it dissolve into flirting, sex talk, innuendos of orgies, pointless dribble that they can accomplish through PM rather then hijacking every thread. I get we are all adults. But this is VST. Not sexual function talk... No it isn't my swan song. I'm going to try to help people and look for help here. But just wish the overtly sexual conversations would be in PM and pointless random chatter kept to a minimum. Having fun and keeping it light is all fine and good. But it's really getting old and annoying. Exchange numbers or email or PM. But please stop hijacking all these threads.
Now I'm achy, hungry, on dilaudid, and sleepy. Tomorrow is another day and maybe there will be a new thread with substance.

Who did you tell about your surgery and why?
How did you explain your recovery/eating to those you didn't tell?
Ill start...
I'm 25 started out 31-ish BMI
5'4" close to 195 starting weight, 185 by surgery time.
Now 175
Sleeved on December 18 2012
I told my best friend. That's it. I went alone. She was very concerned (more concerned than judge-y, but I think it's hard for a 5'5" 115 pound waif not to judge). I gave her my just-in-case letters. She couldn't afford the flight to Mexico.
I didn't tell my parents or any family members.
My parents wouldn't have approved (mentioned it to my mom who forbade it, and with a much stricter father I didn't even mention it to him). Some family members would have been understanding, but they've been known to tattle on me when they were concerned about something, so I didn't want to risk it!
During my recovery (holidays at home) I told everyone I had been in a horseback riding accident where the horse crushed me and they had to repair some internal organs (mainly the stomach - hence the diet restrictions).
Why did I keep it a secret?
Aside from the fact that my parents would have murdered me, I also won't tell strangers because people have an easy-way-out mentality when it comes to wls, and I want the credit for my weight loss! I don't want people to have the attitude that I got surgery and a year later I was a lot skinner (fingers crossed!)... People don't understand that it's not like that. Especially thin people who have never had weight problems which bothers me because they obviously don't understand what we go through.
As a completely unrelated tangent: I have an MSc and plan on getting a PhD on obesity work and I'd love for it to make a difference in the perceptions of the general population about the PHYSIOLOGICAL causes of obesity. I find too much media (biggest loser, dr. Phil, dr. Oz, etc) focus on the PSYCHOLOGICAL... "It's all in your head" kinda perception. Which is why 98% of those people gain their weight back and those who don't gain back need to maintain abnormally active lifestyles with uncomfortably limited portions because they treated their symptoms (the fat) not the cause (the physiological problem; hormones, etc).

I absolutely do believe you can lose weight, the key is to stay focused and be determined. You must also realize that Rome wasn't built in a day and losing the weight won't be done that easily either. Know that sometimes it will be easy other times not so much. If you are determined it WILL happen. Good luck.

I don't mind sharing with others that I had weight loss surgery. It's not a secret and I'm not embarrassed about my choice. People are going to gossip whether you are fat, thin or normal, I just give them one less thing to gossip about. Lol I have yet to have any negative responses. It's my opportunity to educate the ill informed. From those I have told the responses have been inquisitive and some have requested the surgeons contact information. If I can help someone else just by sharing my story, then I'm happy.

Oh and the other thing I was just thinking of...a wedding alteration shop can maybe only go down a couple of sizes because they do BASIC alterations. But a quality seemstress or tailor can alter a larger garment down to a size zero if necessary. They have to basically rebuild it, reshaping all seems, but they can do this. I had it done to a suit that I just loved years ago. I had spent a great deal on it for a job interview that was going to make me a VP (I'm now VP of toilets and laundry...what a waste LOL). I got the job and wore the suit often. It was about a 12, but lost a bunch of weight and took it to a seemstress who rebuilt it for me to a size 4/6 approximately (tailored it to my body exactly). She had to redo the lining etc, but it was like having a new suit and it cost maybe $125 or $150...far less than that silly suit did If the dress is grossly big than you could take it from the bridal shop (they just redo outside seems and don't do any work on the inner tailoring) and take it to a really good place to have it fit correctly to your new body.

I so can't wait until Mu life revolves around life instead of food!

Good for you! Mistakes made should always be lessons learned. Whenever someone mentions McDonald's nuggets you will probably cringe.

I'm guessing this thread will stop a lot PM's and maybe even embarrass those who have already reached out to you for help.
I in no way intend to offend you, Cheri. I like the advice you give but lately you've expressed your dislike of the discussions on this site a few times. Maybe you just don't care for this site all together anymore.
As far as how to handle the PMs, I usually give my experience and guide them in right direction to do their own research. I guess if it was something I didn't want to answer, I wouldn't.

I would probably opt out of a dinner/lunch date and steer him to a active date. Going to dinner would most likely only frustrate you more than anything else. I don't know where you live, but perhaps bowling, miniature golf, go to a museum or art gallery.