MichiganChic

We are about the same weight and BMI, and I also feel thin! I've struggled with the number, but people say I look thin, so I'm going with that, lol. It is thin considering where I came from, and I too, feel blessed. I have a lot of nice winter size 10 clothes, because I thought this might be it for me, but in the last week or so the weight seems to be coming off again. I think I'm going to have some plastics done, so I might end up in an 8 or even a 6 (can't even imagine that!) but even if I don't, I'm thrilled. I never thought clothes would be such a big deal to me. I have a new rule - I'm never going to wear another ugly shirt! I am very particular, and look for things that are stylish, fitted, and somewhat unique. Like you said in your original post, everywhere I go, I'm dressed well. I do wear athletic clothes sometimes, and even those are stylish looking! I don't think it's really a vanity thing - I think it's more of a motivator on a daily basis to stay on track. I like the way I look and feel, and don't ever want to lose what I worked so hard to achieve. I have to work hard on a daily basis to keep it, because it could be gone in no time if I let it.

I had great fat clothes, but didn't really love any of them. I paid a lot of money for most of them, and I looked as good as I could, but it wasn't that great. But I love my clothes now. I have a couple of stores that I love and can wear anything in the store and I don't think that's a thrill I'll ever tire of! It's enough motivation to keep me from going off the rails with my diet some days. I didn't realize how much I'd love being thin!

My advice is pay attention to what you are doing and the response your body gives you. Each of us are unique, and while there are overarching rules we all need to follow, our success is as unique as we are. What works for one may not work for another. For me, I attribute my success to tracking what I eat. I have to weigh and measure food. I don't do it as much now as I did at first, but I still do it to get a reality check and make sure my eye sees portion size correctly. I track EVERY bite I eat and and drink. I do not let one thing slip past my lips that I don't log on myfitnesspal. You can consume a lot of calories without realizing it, and I have to constantly fight the urge to graze. Forcing myself to be honest about what I'm consuming really keeps me in line. I've learned that I need very little calories to maintain, and even fewer to lose. Follow your docs plan and pay attention to what works for you.

Hell to the NO, I do not miss being fat. I have loved every pound lost. I was a bit of an oxymoron - I was confident and successful, and I knew my value, but I still had self -loathing because of the limitations imposed by my weight. I felt like I might not be reaching my full potential in so many ways, either because I didn't do things/go places because my weight held me back, or I wouldn't be given opportunities I could actually do because others discriminated against me for my weight. Having said that, I really like the article the OP provided. I tend to agree, being in that body made me a much better person. I am kinder, not judgmental, and more understanding than I ever would have been! I am so grateful for the gift I have, but I do wish I hadn't spent my entire adult life (and the youth of my children's lives) being morbidly obese. But since I can't change that, I think it makes me appreciate what I have so much more, and I know how temper confidence with humility, which is a skill I might not have otherwise had.

Wow, you look great! Congrats!

Great topic. I also have many of the muscle issues other have described, and I think we do need to relearn how to carry ourselves. I saw a special on Discovery Health a while back that I think explained it (at least to me). They showed what obesity does to your body, bones, and muscles. After being obese so many years, our bodies compensated for that by moving and shifting. It showed 3D images of a person ambulating and how the bones bowed under the weight, and how the gait changes to compensate. Once the weight is gone, we are left with that body shape/structure. Even your organs increase in size to compensate for the increased weight and blood flow. I've noticed that my legs look slightly bowed, and they were never like that before I got so heavy. I constantly have to remember to sit and walk straight, and I make an effort to walk with my feet closer together.

On day 5, I wouldn't have been able to do it. I'd push it back until right after the wedding, then you won't have to worry. You might be one of the people who are up and running, but there is no way to know. Why add that stress to yourself and the bride?

@@swimbikerun I am well aware of hypervitaminosis. That's why I was shocked at myself that I was doing that! I know better. I wasn't doing it long - but one day when I was taking all those pills it hit me that I better double check what I was doing. You are quite the research ninja, BTW!

@@Georgia I don't think I'll ever "turn" that proverbial corner. I know exactly what you mean about getting tired and relaxing. For me it comes from being hyper-vigilant all the time, and fighting against a life time of bad habits. Some days it just wears me down. I have a body that requires very little intake to sustain itself, so there is just no room to let my guard down for more than a few hours - and I've proven I can do some serious damage in just a few hours!

My surgeon recommended the children's chewables, too. I think because it was easy on the stomach. Then, after a few weeks, he switches you to a prenatal. I couldn't swallow those, so I started using a Vitafusion gummy, or lately I've been taking the hair, skin, and nails supplement. I think I was actually overdosing for a while by taking both, not realizing that they both contained 100% of many things. You really do have to read and research.

I haven't had or thought about pop tarts in over a year and a half, even though they are always in my house. All this pop tart talk is getting to my head! The mind is a very strange thing.....

I don't think WLS causes us to gain weight, pretty sure we already had that problem! I think we are each individual, and I don't think it's ever as simple as 3500 calories = 1 pound. I've learned over the course of my weight loss that I need to eat around 800 calories a day to lose weight, and I can maintain at somewhere around 1100-1200. Before I had surgery, I couldn't get below 1400 calories intake a day without being miserable, so now I know why I couldn't lose weight. You'll need to find your personal sweet spot. As far as the slippery slope, you'll need to figure that one out for yourself. For me, I have to watch what I eat and count every calorie. If I had to pick the number one reason I've been successful, it is that I count every single calorie. I force myself to be honest about what I'm eating and drinking. I don't consume any calories that I don't write down, Sometime I consume more than I want to, and seeing it in writing is a big reality check for me. Without that, I have no compass. My sleeve is a tool that helps keep me from going off the rails. I will get full before I can do too much damage. Hunger is much decreased, and so in that way, I'm much more "normal", though I do get hungry. I still have to fight bad habits, though. I tend to be a grazer by nature, which can be the kiss of death for success with a sleeve. Grazing makes it possible to consume thousands of calories without restriction. I don't think I'm doomed. I think I've been given a gift that gives me a fighting chance that I didn't have without surgery. It's what I do with it that determines my success.

@@Fiddleman For me, there are no two ways about it, the only path to success is constant diligence. I have to watch every calorie, every day. I am always on guard, and nope, it's not easy. I want to take a break sometimes, and while I do allow some deviation, I know that it's planned and short-lived. I worry about regain, and since I'm still trying to get to that elusive goal of a normal BMI, I have no wiggle room. I know that the minute I let my guard down, my weight will climb. If I don't stay hyper-aware of what I'm doing, there is no doubt I'd be right back where I started. It's a horrific thought to me! It's work all day, every day, forever, to be able to enjoy my new, much improved life. Still a good trade-off, in my opinion.

I'm late to the party, but I would have said eat the pop-tart. I personally would have toasted it and put a little butter on it! And then I would count the calories and move on. I do think that an occasional treat is fine. And by occasional, it turns out to be almost every weekend for me. I don't eat much, I really enjoy it, I always count the calories, and then it's over. I rid my house of whatever it is, because I know myself and I don't need the temptation. I believe that we have to live life and enjoy it, and food can be part of it. Food just can't be the main attraction anymore, and I'm so glad I've made that shift! Glad you enjoyed your treat, and I think it's funny that the "food police" gave you a pardon

This is normal. Your sleeve heals, swelling decreases , and it relaxes, and volume capacity can increase. This is where the rubber meets the road. This is where WE have to do the work. Just because you can, does not mean you should eat more. Your sleeve will still offer restriction, but the right choices are important. Stick to the volume limits and calorie restrictions your surgeon gave you. It requires diligence and mindful eating. The surgery is not going to do it for us. It comes down to the choices we make. Another thing to remember is that for most people weight doesn't just come off in a linear, steady fashion, especially after the first few months. It comes off a few pounds at a time, then you might plateau a while, then more will come off. The important thing is to follow your plan every day, all day. It's what we do for the long haul that makes the difference.

You'll find die hard believers that obesity is ALWAYS related to eating disorders, and that you need therapy to overcome it. Some qualify it as food addiction. I'm not so sure about any of that, though it's probably true for some and not for others. I think it is unique, and the factors that contribute to obesity haven't been fully identified yet. I think medical science is still figuring it out, and until then, we all need to take an honest look at ourselves and figure out what's going to work for us to succeed. Whether there is a deep-seated emotional factor or not, I do think there is always a mental component we need to figure out, even if it's as simple as changing your mindset about how you will behave. It's not a one size fits all, IMO.

@@NothingUpMySleeve That's pretty similar to my answer in this thread. I agree, and I think the medical community is coming around, that there is more to it than just 3500 calories = 1 pound. Some of us just don't fit that mold, and there are so many other factors that influence weight, and I think much of it is still to be discovered. However, I'm pretty thrilled with what I've been able to accomplish with the sleeve, even if it remains a daily struggle against my body (who liked being super fat and still wants to be!)

What has happened to you has happened to many, and it's what we all fear. For me, I know I can never lose the focus or I'll be back where I started. I think it's great that you are making a conscious effort to get control of it now, because we all know the weight does not magically come off or stay off. It's work and dedication. You know what to do, and you caught it before it was too late. You can do this!

I think we are all different and require different vitamins. I was taking the recommended 1500 mg daily of calcium, and my calcium levels were off the charts. My PTH was high, and at first they wanted me to have my parathyroid checked because of it. After I stopped the calcium, it came down to a high normal range. My B12 levels are also OK without SL supplementation. However, I need iron, and not everyone does. Pre-op my vitamin D level was non existent, and now with about 8000 IU a week, I'm normal. It takes a watchful eye and careful dosing to get it right, and blindly taking supplements can be harmful, particularly with iron, calcium, and fat soluble vitamins.

Depends on who it is. My close family knows, but I didn't tell many people I had surgery, and I don't tell them I've lost 140 pounds. They will certainly do the math. I didn't want them to know how much I weighed, and still don't. But it's OK for all my close friends on this site know, lol

First, congratulations on your success! Second, you might slow down, but you could still slowly take off that last 20 pounds. It does get harder the closer we get to goal. And last, it also takes a while for our brains to catch up to our new look. I also struggled a little with that, but not so much what I see, and more what that number on the scale says. I had some difficulty reconciling the new look compared to how I used to look based on the number on the scale. It really bothered me that my BMI was still high. I've finally decided it's good enough. I look and feel good, and since I let go of trying to achieve a number, I feel better. Not sure if the number factors into what you are feeling, but it does take time to adjust. Once you have been at a stable weight a while, get used to buying the same size clothing, you might start to see the new you!

I worry about long term PPI use, too. I've been trying to wean myself off of prilosec, and I'm taking it about three days a week now. I seem to do OK with that, but not sure if I'll be able to get off all together. I had reflux before surgery. Then, like now, it's worse if I overeat.

You should not be taking Iron unless it's been prescribed by your doc. You need to have labs drawn to know if you are deficient or not. If you take it and you don't need it, it can be toxic.

Yep, you can tell the difference. Great job! This is such a fun time, and it's really motivating because it's a steady and rapid transformation. Enjoy it!

I've lost 10 pounds since January - and most of it in February when I was doing this. I quit, and I've not lost anything since! I am thinking now that I see this I'll have to try it again, too. It really did help. I also did the 5:2 a couple of weeks, but this far out, I find that pretty hard to do.