SerendipityHappens

It's just temporary. Give it some time. I'm four and a half months out and I LOVE to grocery shop.. EVEN MORE THAN BEFORE.. Now I can buy the expensive items that I NEVER could afford before. I bought four ounces of 10 year aged extra sharp cheddar last week at $21.00 a pound. It was DELICIOUS! I also buy seafood and expensive cuts of meat, and AWESOME looking produce. I'm not just looking for things that will fill up my enormously large stomach anymore so I can focus on QUALITY rather than QUANTITY.

Thanks for posting.. You should repost this to the Mexico subforum! I'm going with Valenzuela/Cabrera too. I absolutely adore Christy. She is not high pressure and has answered all of my many MANY questions so quickly. Even on Sunday.. Even on THANKGIVING she has either answered the phone or called me right back! My surgery is in 11 weeks.. Can't WAIT!

Breakfast: 12 ounces of coffee, 3T half and half, a scoop of Protein powder and 10 cherries=188 calories and 22g protein
Lunch: 3/4 cup 1% cottage cheese and 1/2 cup mango cubes= 189 calories 21g protein
snack: Cheesy feta stuffed Tomato =137 calories 9g protein
Dinner: 1.5 tacos with guacamole =391 calories 24gprotein
Snack: .5 taco with guacamole = 131 calories and 8g protein
Totals for the day: 1036 calories and 84g protein

That picture makes me want to take a nap. The dog just makes it look so inviting.

I stalled for an entire month just two weeks after surgery. You won't lose weight every day.. or every week... or maybe not even every month.. but the weight WILL come off.

A little over 6 months and I have broken the 300's and am into the 200's for the first time in over 10 years!!!

So am I the only crazy one who dove into a bag of beef Jerky a soon as I was given the "all clear" at six weeks and had steak in week 7? Sleeve of steel I tell you.. Sleeve of STEEL!

Congrats! Next stop Twoderville!
I hear you on being a slower loser. I still have a hundred pounds to go and I lost 6 pounds in July and 4 pounds in June.. That makes me a SLOW LOSER... Even if I lose only FIVE POUNDS a month from here on out, I will weigh 210 pounds on my one year surgiversary and 180 pounds by the 18 month mark. The beautiful thing about being sleeved is I don't feel like I'm being tortured. I don't MIND watching my calories or resisting Snacks because I'm satisfied with what I CAN eat. Because I don't feel like I'm being tortured, I don't mind that it might take a little longer than other people. Sure, I'd like to lose faster,who wouldn't?... but it's not the end of the world if I don't!

Well, this morning was my second official weigh-in since surgery on July 15th. I've decided that the only tradition I'm carrying over from my dieting days is weighing in on Friday mornings. I'm down 21 lbs. total for this here wild ride (pre-op liquid loss included) and that means that I'm officially under the 200 lbs. to lose mark - "only" 198 left to go!!! I have a feeling I may end up being a slower loser, but I'm ok with that just as long as it comes off eventually.
Happy Friday/weekend to you all!!

I chose Isopure and jay robb. I mixed one with coffee, one with milk and one with a sugar free drink such as Vitamin Water zero or sugar free fruit punch type thing. I had the coffee shake when I got to work, the shake made with milk for lunch, then I had my lean and green dinner early in the evening, then have my last shake while watching TV at night. Also I could have some sugar free jello/sugar free popcicles as a snack. I was also allowed to choose from the following as Snacks provided my overall calories were under 800: a hard boiled egg, half of a piece of fruit, half an ounce of nuts. I rarely had the calories though since my shakes alone usually totaled 450 calories leaving just 350 calories for my lean and green meal.
I also sometimes substituted a cup of 1% cottage cheese for one of my shakes if I simply couldn't FACE another shake that day

Atheist Zealots... religious zealots... vegan zealots... animal rights zealots....It's all the same, people who think that somehow because of a belief they hold that they are superior to others.
For me clearing my head of religion and getting rid of all the cognitive dissonance it created was the best thing I ever did for myself. I am happier. I'm a better person. I care more about investing in myself.. damn it, I'm even pretty sure my hair has more luster. Shedding religion MADE ME A BETTER PERSON.... but it didn't make me a better than anyone else.

Mine were always nightmares that I was eating something I shouldn't too soon after surgery. The worst one had me sitting in my hospital bed eating fried chicken and then frantically trying to hide it in my pillow case so my doctor wouldn't find it all the while trying to think of a good cover story to explain why fried chicken was showing up on my flouroscopy.

Mine were always nightmares that I was eating something I shouldn't too soon after surgery. The worst one had me sitting in my hospital bed eating fried chicken and then frantically trying to hide it in my pillow case so my doctor wouldn't find it all the while trying to think of a good cover story to explain why fried chicken was showing up on my flouroscopy.

Mine were always nightmares that I was eating something I shouldn't too soon after surgery. The worst one had me sitting in my hospital bed eating fried chicken and then frantically trying to hide it in my pillow case so my doctor wouldn't find it all the while trying to think of a good cover story to explain why fried chicken was showing up on my flouroscopy.

Mine were always nightmares that I was eating something I shouldn't too soon after surgery. The worst one had me sitting in my hospital bed eating fried chicken and then frantically trying to hide it in my pillow case so my doctor wouldn't find it all the while trying to think of a good cover story to explain why fried chicken was showing up on my flouroscopy.

At least your being realistic.. at my heaviest of 360 I kept thinking I'm about a hundred pounds overweight... UH.. I'm only 5'5".. I had 210 pounds to lose but was in denial!!! Getting that number will be very empowering for you because you'll then know EXACTLY where you stand. I'm so happy for you starting this exciting journey.

Breakfast: 12 ounces of coffee, 3T half and half, a scoop of Protein powder and 10 cherries=188 calories and 22g protein
Lunch: 3/4 cup 1% cottage cheese and 1/2 cup mango cubes= 189 calories 21g protein
snack: Cheesy feta stuffed Tomato =137 calories 9g protein
Dinner: 1.5 tacos with guacamole =391 calories 24gprotein
Snack: .5 taco with guacamole = 131 calories and 8g protein
Totals for the day: 1036 calories and 84g protein

I think I'm already 20 minutes into mine... got a beautiful bottle of wine here and y'all are welcome to join me... and since we're all sleeved the wine will go out twice as far!

I'm posting this in the 200 pounds forum because I know that for us, our NSV's can be very different from the run of the mill NSV's the lightweights have... so here are some NSV's from a (former)super-morbidly obese woman....
Being able to shop in ANY plus size section of any department store or chain with plus sizes (some of which carry up to 22 or 24 only) and not just the store with "extended plus sizes". *cough* Catherine's. BOOYEAH! It's awesome. But now my problem is TOO MUCH selection... I'm looking for a dress to wear to my cousin's wedding but I have too many options and can't decide!
Not having EVERY SINGLE SHIRT I own have a hole/stain at the belly from where I rub up against everything. Still waiting for this one... RUINED another shirt at work yesterday :-(
Being able to grab my own ankle without assistance in order to do quad stretches. It's embarrassing to have to have a stranger in your class push your leg up far enough for you to grab your ankle!.... I'm almost there but not quite.. I think my entire aerobics class is going to Celebrate with me when I can stretch my own quads.
Having the nasty yeasty fat lady feet problem go away. I had some sort of fungal/yeast infection thing going on on my feet for YEARS.. (ya know, that yellow chalky peeling cracking ugly old people/fatpeople feet) My right foot now looks like it belongs to a newborn baby and my left foot is ALMOST completely clear and I can wear SANDALS for the first time in a decade!
Bending over to pick something off the floor without thinking about it/without dreading it. A larger lady at the store dropped a quarter the other day and I KNEW she was thinking: "is that quarter worth bending over to pick up?" UG, I remember that feeling well... I didn't even really realize what a NSV this is until being reminded what a struggle it was for me before, because now I just bend and get stuff all the time now without even thinking about it.
OK so there you have it.. some of my favorite NSV's So let's hear it What NSV's made you the happiest.. or if you're just starting, what NSV's are you looking forward to?

Mine started at the end of week two and lasted for FOUR WEEKS!

Um heres an embarasing one for me, the other night I went to the emergi clinic for my son and I always dread those stupid permanent cupped seats they have. i would usually need lube to squeeze myself in, Well I just sat down, wow I fit no hanging hips over the side nothing I sat like a normal person. AAAAHHHHHHh.

I'm posting this in the 200 pounds forum because I know that for us, our NSV's can be very different from the run of the mill NSV's the lightweights have... so here are some NSV's from a (former)super-morbidly obese woman....
Being able to shop in ANY plus size section of any department store or chain with plus sizes (some of which carry up to 22 or 24 only) and not just the store with "extended plus sizes". *cough* Catherine's. BOOYEAH! It's awesome. But now my problem is TOO MUCH selection... I'm looking for a dress to wear to my cousin's wedding but I have too many options and can't decide!
Not having EVERY SINGLE SHIRT I own have a hole/stain at the belly from where I rub up against everything. Still waiting for this one... RUINED another shirt at work yesterday :-(
Being able to grab my own ankle without assistance in order to do quad stretches. It's embarrassing to have to have a stranger in your class push your leg up far enough for you to grab your ankle!.... I'm almost there but not quite.. I think my entire aerobics class is going to Celebrate with me when I can stretch my own quads.
Having the nasty yeasty fat lady feet problem go away. I had some sort of fungal/yeast infection thing going on on my feet for YEARS.. (ya know, that yellow chalky peeling cracking ugly old people/fatpeople feet) My right foot now looks like it belongs to a newborn baby and my left foot is ALMOST completely clear and I can wear SANDALS for the first time in a decade!
Bending over to pick something off the floor without thinking about it/without dreading it. A larger lady at the store dropped a quarter the other day and I KNEW she was thinking: "is that quarter worth bending over to pick up?" UG, I remember that feeling well... I didn't even really realize what a NSV this is until being reminded what a struggle it was for me before, because now I just bend and get stuff all the time now without even thinking about it.
OK so there you have it.. some of my favorite NSV's So let's hear it What NSV's made you the happiest.. or if you're just starting, what NSV's are you looking forward to?

I'm posting this in the 200 pounds forum because I know that for us, our NSV's can be very different from the run of the mill NSV's the lightweights have... so here are some NSV's from a (former)super-morbidly obese woman....
Being able to shop in ANY plus size section of any department store or chain with plus sizes (some of which carry up to 22 or 24 only) and not just the store with "extended plus sizes". *cough* Catherine's. BOOYEAH! It's awesome. But now my problem is TOO MUCH selection... I'm looking for a dress to wear to my cousin's wedding but I have too many options and can't decide!
Not having EVERY SINGLE SHIRT I own have a hole/stain at the belly from where I rub up against everything. Still waiting for this one... RUINED another shirt at work yesterday :-(
Being able to grab my own ankle without assistance in order to do quad stretches. It's embarrassing to have to have a stranger in your class push your leg up far enough for you to grab your ankle!.... I'm almost there but not quite.. I think my entire aerobics class is going to Celebrate with me when I can stretch my own quads.
Having the nasty yeasty fat lady feet problem go away. I had some sort of fungal/yeast infection thing going on on my feet for YEARS.. (ya know, that yellow chalky peeling cracking ugly old people/fatpeople feet) My right foot now looks like it belongs to a newborn baby and my left foot is ALMOST completely clear and I can wear SANDALS for the first time in a decade!
Bending over to pick something off the floor without thinking about it/without dreading it. A larger lady at the store dropped a quarter the other day and I KNEW she was thinking: "is that quarter worth bending over to pick up?" UG, I remember that feeling well... I didn't even really realize what a NSV this is until being reminded what a struggle it was for me before, because now I just bend and get stuff all the time now without even thinking about it.
OK so there you have it.. some of my favorite NSV's So let's hear it What NSV's made you the happiest.. or if you're just starting, what NSV's are you looking forward to?

For everyone with "Mexiphobia" there certainly is cause to exercise caution when visiting Mexico since there are numerous travel warnings regarding safety in Mexico. Fortunately I feel 100% crossing the boarder in the shuttle, traveling to the Marriott, then taking the hotel shuttle to and from the hospital, then back over the border. Am I going to be wandering down dark alleys at night? No. Now there ARE some mexican border towns that are extremely dangerous.. and guess what? THESE dangerous towns are not hot spots for Medical Tourism.. Go figure.
Personally I've traveled in Pakistan without incident, and passed through Armed Hizzbollah roadblocks in Lebanon regularly while I lived there for a short time... I just learned WHERE I could go and WHERE I should avoid. The same goes for Mexico, there are places that are safe and places that should be avoided... Heck, the same goes for Harrisburg, there are neighborhoods here I won't venture into either.

It's good that you have plenty of time for your layover... that way you're not rushing to get to your gate! As long as you're not rushing you shouldn't need a wheelchair.. I checked my bag and just had a few light things as a carry on. I purchased some yummy Vitamin Water zero at the airport and enjoyed those very much on the plane. I flew from San Diego to Boston and found traveling very easy. I didn't find it necessary to do pre-boarding or any of that stuff as by the time I was traveling home, I was already feeling quite well. I usually opt for a window seat, but for my trip home I made sure I had an aisle and I got up and walked every 45 minutes or so... also I wore my knee high compression stockings. I made sure I had lots of gas-x strips for the plane ride. I only needed a few, but some people have reported going through many of them so it's better to be prepared.