melissa130

Going to a party today where I will see people that I haven't since Christmas.
My surgery was in January and I have lost 96 pounds.
At Christmas my skirt/pant size was a 24. Tops were 24 to 28 or XXXL.
 
My sister bought me an adorable skirt and a sexy slamming blouse. Skirt size ---> 6 !!!!!!!!!!! The blouse is a plain MEDIUM. I cried and so did she. I kept looking at the tag on the skirt like it had to be wrong.
 
What a moment. I feel liberated and I feel like I have finally won the battle. I have no regrets going through with this operation. I am very glad I didn't have the bypass or the band. I feel very healthy.
 
Happy girl!! Have a good day everybody.

Going to a party today where I will see people that I haven't since Christmas.
My surgery was in January and I have lost 96 pounds.
At Christmas my skirt/pant size was a 24. Tops were 24 to 28 or XXXL.
 
My sister bought me an adorable skirt and a sexy slamming blouse. Skirt size ---> 6 !!!!!!!!!!! The blouse is a plain MEDIUM. I cried and so did she. I kept looking at the tag on the skirt like it had to be wrong.
 
What a moment. I feel liberated and I feel like I have finally won the battle. I have no regrets going through with this operation. I am very glad I didn't have the bypass or the band. I feel very healthy.
 
Happy girl!! Have a good day everybody.

Going to a party today where I will see people that I haven't since Christmas.
My surgery was in January and I have lost 96 pounds.
At Christmas my skirt/pant size was a 24. Tops were 24 to 28 or XXXL.
 
My sister bought me an adorable skirt and a sexy slamming blouse. Skirt size ---> 6 !!!!!!!!!!! The blouse is a plain MEDIUM. I cried and so did she. I kept looking at the tag on the skirt like it had to be wrong.
 
What a moment. I feel liberated and I feel like I have finally won the battle. I have no regrets going through with this operation. I am very glad I didn't have the bypass or the band. I feel very healthy.
 
Happy girl!! Have a good day everybody.

(Posted to MFP on 8/9/13)

I've found myself at odds since I reached my first major goal - getting under 200 lbs. I was so focused on that goal that once I reached it, I didn't really know what to strive for next. Over the course of a couple of weeks I started sliding back into bad habits, not tracking, and just generally being lazy. Now I think it's because I didn't have a concrete goal to focus on next. So, I decided to pre-determine my specific goals - obviously the Main Goal is to lose weight, but I need weight-related milestones to keep me on track.

Lose 20 lbs - complete!
Get under 200 lbs - complete!
Get to 190
Get to 186
Get to 169
Get to 160
Get to 155
Get to 150
Get to 145
Get to 140
Get to 135
Get to 125
Get to 120

Some odd numbers, I know. I chose 186 because I had a frenemy that used to crow about her weight loss and time in the gym until everyone was sick to death of hearing about it. When she reached 187 it was 3 weeks of listening to her go on and on about her workouts, her food intake, and every last detail of her bodily functions to get to 187. The number always stuck in my head, so I figure if I get to 186 I can finally get that memory out of my head & thumb my imaginary nose at her!

 
I chose 169 because I weighed 170 after having my daughter, and it was the highest weight I had ever been at. After that, I only gained - I never got back under 170 and that was 18 years ago. So, once I get to 169 I will be at my lowest since 1995!!

 
The rest of these goals may change over time, for now they are just place-holders. But at least I've got them down!

I am on day 2 of my pre op liquid diet. I have to do this for 2 weeks. My husband, who is having the sleeve done with me, only has to do 1 week. Our surgery is August 5th.
 
I wanted to cry today when I heard my stomach growl. But to be honest I cannot remember the last time I heard it growl. I am learning a lot about this body of mine. That is when the pity party started. I feel like crap. How could I have let myself go this far? How come I did not stop the overeating when I only had 50 pounds to lose?? I went through a list of how, why, when....you name it.
 
I then realized that I am being given an opportunity to get my life back. To enjoy things I have not been able to do. To go places I have been uncomfortable going. I am going to be new.....it is all going to be worth it. And the best part is I have my husband there for support. He will be my partner through this new stage of our lives. We will be a team.
 
So I decided to go wash some clothes. To give myself a change of scenery. To wash clothes I may not be able to wear again someday....

During which week of the post-op diet is foot on the menu?
 
I'm teaching a summer chemistry class to adorable little teenagers. My post-op week we were using small, round candies (not using names - don't want to trigger anyone) to represent atomic particles during radioactive decay. Of course, they could eat whatever they weren't using. At the beginning of class, seeing the HUGE and numerous bags of candy on my demo table, they asked if we were going to be doing something with them for that day's class (they are masters of deduction - watch out, Dr. House!) and I joked that it was all for me.
 
Fast forward to the end of class, as they're cleaning up/inhaling their candy like Dysons. One of them asks if I'm going to have any and I reply, "Nah, I have surgery next week and I'm on a liquid diet." WAY TO GO, BIG MOUTH. Of course, they wanted to know more. I joked that I would tell them about it afterwards. That way If I died on the table they could make up whatever story they wanted ("Did you hear Ms. Diamond had a brain aneurysm and farted out her spleen???").
 
Well, I didn't die (thanks a lot, Dr. Illan), so now I'm in a pickle. I have no idea what to say if they ask me about it in class today. Do I lie and say I was just trying to crash diet before my beach/wedding/girls' weekend vacation? Or do I go the evasive route and imply it's gross and personal and they wouldn't want to know? I know some of you are wondering why I don't just tell them the truth. I'm sure when I'm 50+ pounds down and everybody's asking, my attitude may be different, but as of now the only people I've told are my immediate family and therapist. Something tells me that revealing my very personal secret to a room full of Tweeting teenagers may not be the best way to maintain an ounce of decorum in this very small town. Any fellow foot-eaters who can offer follow-up advice?

I have 33 more pounds to go to goal!!! 135 ---> COMING TO GET YA!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
WOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOO

I have 33 more pounds to go to goal!!! 135 ---> COMING TO GET YA!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
WOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOO

I am 9 weeks post -op and I am really starting to get excited. I am allowed more food than I am eating right now-- but the scale keeps moving down so I am going to stick with what I am doing. At Christmas I weighed 284. Just before my surgery (January 14, 2013) I weighed 264. I wish I had measurements but I never took them. Today I weigh 210. So since surgery I have lost 54 pounds. FEELS AWESOME. Can't wait to see how it feels to lose the next 54.
 
I have not shopped yet for any new clothes and I think it is time. Everything is really baggy. I was trying to wait for the god forsaken weather to get warmer. I do not really want to buy winter clothes because by next winter I will be even smaller. And for the first time in my adult life- it will be soo fun to buy spring and summer clothes -- I hope.

I have 33 more pounds to go to goal!!! 135 ---> COMING TO GET YA!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
WOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOO

I have 33 more pounds to go to goal!!! 135 ---> COMING TO GET YA!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
WOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOO

I have 33 more pounds to go to goal!!! 135 ---> COMING TO GET YA!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
WOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOO

Going to a party today where I will see people that I haven't since Christmas.
My surgery was in January and I have lost 96 pounds.
At Christmas my skirt/pant size was a 24. Tops were 24 to 28 or XXXL.
 
My sister bought me an adorable skirt and a sexy slamming blouse. Skirt size ---> 6 !!!!!!!!!!! The blouse is a plain MEDIUM. I cried and so did she. I kept looking at the tag on the skirt like it had to be wrong.
 
What a moment. I feel liberated and I feel like I have finally won the battle. I have no regrets going through with this operation. I am very glad I didn't have the bypass or the band. I feel very healthy.
 
Happy girl!! Have a good day everybody.

Going to a party today where I will see people that I haven't since Christmas.
My surgery was in January and I have lost 96 pounds.
At Christmas my skirt/pant size was a 24. Tops were 24 to 28 or XXXL.
 
My sister bought me an adorable skirt and a sexy slamming blouse. Skirt size ---> 6 !!!!!!!!!!! The blouse is a plain MEDIUM. I cried and so did she. I kept looking at the tag on the skirt like it had to be wrong.
 
What a moment. I feel liberated and I feel like I have finally won the battle. I have no regrets going through with this operation. I am very glad I didn't have the bypass or the band. I feel very healthy.
 
Happy girl!! Have a good day everybody.

Going to a party today where I will see people that I haven't since Christmas.
My surgery was in January and I have lost 96 pounds.
At Christmas my skirt/pant size was a 24. Tops were 24 to 28 or XXXL.
 
My sister bought me an adorable skirt and a sexy slamming blouse. Skirt size ---> 6 !!!!!!!!!!! The blouse is a plain MEDIUM. I cried and so did she. I kept looking at the tag on the skirt like it had to be wrong.
 
What a moment. I feel liberated and I feel like I have finally won the battle. I have no regrets going through with this operation. I am very glad I didn't have the bypass or the band. I feel very healthy.
 
Happy girl!! Have a good day everybody.

Going to a party today where I will see people that I haven't since Christmas.
My surgery was in January and I have lost 96 pounds.
At Christmas my skirt/pant size was a 24. Tops were 24 to 28 or XXXL.
 
My sister bought me an adorable skirt and a sexy slamming blouse. Skirt size ---> 6 !!!!!!!!!!! The blouse is a plain MEDIUM. I cried and so did she. I kept looking at the tag on the skirt like it had to be wrong.
 
What a moment. I feel liberated and I feel like I have finally won the battle. I have no regrets going through with this operation. I am very glad I didn't have the bypass or the band. I feel very healthy.
 
Happy girl!! Have a good day everybody.

Today I measured myself for the first time since surgery. It has been 4 weeks and I have lost 30 pounds, but the measurements shocked me!!! I had lost 4 inches in my waist, 3 inches from my chest, an inch from each ankle, 2 inches from each thigh, and 2 inches from each knee. I was worried I wasn't losing fast enough but then I see 17 inches gone from my body and I know that I am going the right way. Today I went to the gym and kind of over did it, but feel the urge to push myself. I know I am still healing and was reminded of this today, especially when I was trying to do triceps exercises laying down on a bench and felt the incision and stomach muscle pull. Ouchh!!! Just gotta go slow. I am so excited to feel great again and have energy. I am happy to hear so many people that I can relate to on this site. I wish everyone the best on their surgeries. This surgery is definitely worth it!!!

Going to a party today where I will see people that I haven't since Christmas.
My surgery was in January and I have lost 96 pounds.
At Christmas my skirt/pant size was a 24. Tops were 24 to 28 or XXXL.
 
My sister bought me an adorable skirt and a sexy slamming blouse. Skirt size ---> 6 !!!!!!!!!!! The blouse is a plain MEDIUM. I cried and so did she. I kept looking at the tag on the skirt like it had to be wrong.
 
What a moment. I feel liberated and I feel like I have finally won the battle. I have no regrets going through with this operation. I am very glad I didn't have the bypass or the band. I feel very healthy.
 
Happy girl!! Have a good day everybody.

Going to a party today where I will see people that I haven't since Christmas.
My surgery was in January and I have lost 96 pounds.
At Christmas my skirt/pant size was a 24. Tops were 24 to 28 or XXXL.
 
My sister bought me an adorable skirt and a sexy slamming blouse. Skirt size ---> 6 !!!!!!!!!!! The blouse is a plain MEDIUM. I cried and so did she. I kept looking at the tag on the skirt like it had to be wrong.
 
What a moment. I feel liberated and I feel like I have finally won the battle. I have no regrets going through with this operation. I am very glad I didn't have the bypass or the band. I feel very healthy.
 
Happy girl!! Have a good day everybody.

Aloha
 
Today marks 6 weeks since surgery, and Wednesdays are my ‘official’ weigh in, although I do weigh every morning. I just record it only on Wednesdays. Yesterday the scale showed me down 40 lbs since start of pre-op, 30 since surgery. This morning I showed down 39 lbs since pre-op and 29 since surgery. ~sigh~ this is my first gain, and I’m guessing I ate something salty yesterday. I am absolutely not bugged about this. I will continue to weigh every morning. I am not obsessing.
 
Just yesterday I had a meeting with my NUT and I asked her what her take on stalls is – is it something that just happens inexplicably, or is it usually something the person is doing wrong? Mind you, when I asked this I was still moving full steam ahead losing every day. LOL maybe I jinxed myself. ANYways, she said stalls just happen sometimes, but the individual has the power to break them. All this being said, I know that 1 lb gained overnight certainly does not constitute a stall. It has just set me to thinking about it. There will come a time when I actually do hit a stall. I want to be prepared for it.
 
So screw the 1 lb overnight last night – I am very, very pleased with my progress! I am beginning to go shopping in my closet, and that is fun. I realized last weekend that I can cross my legs; hooo! that was a thrill! My nightly hikes have become more energetic – I can go longer and faster and work up a good sweat. My dog is loving it!
 
I was thinking this morning that something I would love to be able to do would be pushups. Real, honest-to –goodness, straight leg, military style pushups. No way in hell I can do it now, but I was thinking how cool it would be to be able to do them eventually. My (very athletic) husband would be so impressed! And then I had a brainstorm that I will train myself in secret to be able to do them as a surprise for him! Every morning when he gets in the shower I am going to roll out of bed and start trying to do them. And then one day I'll say "look what I can do!" I also want to get some hand weights. My bariatric exercise specialist had given me a band to do arm strength training with, but I have begun to get very nervous using it because I am terrified it’s going to snap and put my eye out. Paranoid? LOL. Perhaps! But I noticed that in very tiny print on the typed instructions she gave it says “caution: wear eye protection when using the band”. LOL she never said it out loud, she didn’t wear glasses when demonstrating it for me, and I have never, never seen anyone in person or on TV wear protective eyewear with the band. Leave it to paranoid me to start thinking about goggles though. Actually, I’d just rather get some hand weights and not worry about it any further.
 
So far my hair is the same as it’s always been – yay! I am fond of my hair. But I think it’s just a little early yet anyways to see any losses. I won't be surprised when it starts to thin a bit in a month or two. My nails are still growing like mad—I finally had to actually clip them so I could type. In the past they’ve always broken way before they got to the point of needing to be clipped. Hope this nice side effect lasts I guess as long as I get my protein and take my vitamins it will. My energy is getting better all the time. Still would love more energy, but I have faith that my energy level, along with other things in my life, will just keep getting better n better as time goes on.
 
Onward!

I can cross my legs while sitting.
 
I stood up at church to pray, bowed my head and realized that all I could see was my boobs....no belly sticking out further than my boobs!
 
The steering wheel can be lowered while I drive.
 
I walked 3/4 of a mile today without panting and thinking I was having a heart attack.
 
I make still look like Shamu but I am feeling like Flipper!

Its the next to the last day in June. Come Monday it will be July! The count down begins. Wednesday is pre-op testing. The 22nd is Sleeve day!
 
Ready: Since 2004 I've been ready to do something about my weight and have been trying hard to get it together. This decision is the best on for me. So I'm ready!
 
Set: the surgery date is set, pre-op testing date is set, mindset is right, life style is going to settle into one that will allow me to set loose the wild child I am. I can go and fit into places, do things I've been to embarrassed to do because of my size, I get it live!
 
Go! Moving forward to a healthier life, long life God willing. I'm so happy I could cry at times. Its the strength I have found in making the changes. I stopped eating bread, I stopped drinking coffee and tea, I do have decafe around but have not touched it. I've never smoked.
 
I've cleaned out my cabinets of foods I know I must avoid, it's nice being able to give the food stuffs to people that can use it. I've donated clothes that I know I can't wear, won't wear and shouldn't wear lol.
 
I'll spend today packing, I'm moving next weekend into a new apartment. So July is truly a new me month.
 
I admit, I'm getting nervous. But my sister that is supporting me in my decision is coming to visit, it will be nice to have family going in and coming out of this procedure.
 
Thank you to everyone that posts and comments on this site, pro or con. The experiences shared have helped a lot.
 
Continued success to everyone on their journeys.
 
Karen

I have completed 19 weeks of life after a sleeve gastrectomy. I am soooo happy I had this surgery and so far - I have no regrets.
 
I have lost 87 pounds in 19 weeks. I truly believe that I could never have lost this amount of weight without the surgery.
 
Life is better. In many ways. However, my husband and I need to readjust our relationship a bit. I think after a little more time we should
 
work out our issues. I want my weight to get to 140 pounds. So I have about 38 pounds to go and it feels so attainable.
 
I know I will reach that goal. And it won't be long. My personal goal is to reach that weight by the end of summer. I have June, July,
 
and August. So - I will lose 12.5 pounds each month. And this fall I will be living a dream come true. 140 pounds. WOW.
 
I don't have too much loose skin yet. My arms are seeing the worst of it -and it really is not too bad yet. And---it is way
 
more awesome than having fat arms.

I am 7 days away from an 8 mile hike up to LeConte Lodge in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, 8 days away from hiking 5.5 miles down from that mountain, 9 days away from a 7 day vacation in Hawaii, and 32 days away from being sleeved. It is going to be an exciting month.
 
However, I have really struggled with the "food funeral". I have had binge like behavior for the past couple of weeks, and have basically let my "inner fat girl" have everything she wants, and the result of that...the added weight, the bloat, the heart burn, the sluggish "I just want to be lazy" feelings, etc have taken enough of a toll on me, and I have finally decided that enough is enough. It's time to start preparing my brain for what my body is about to go through.
 
Today I kind of gave the following talk to myself...
 
Dear Food,
 
You have always been there for me. You were there for me when I was alone in the evenings after school, you were there for me when people hurt my feelings, you were there when I was alone, you were there when I was rejected, when I was awarded, when I was celebrated. You were there through the loneliness of my teens when I didn't have any "real" friends..during the long hour and a half drive from my mom's to my dad's house when I started driving alone. You were there through my college years when boys rejected me, when the school work got hard and continued on into the night. You were there in my lonely apartment in my early 20's, and there when I went through the financial crisis which landed me back in my parent's house feeling defeated. You were there when I moved to a new state at 28 with my fiance' and I was stressed about leaving everything I knew and loved behind other than this one man. And you were there when my dad died of a heart attack at 57 (obesity related) one week after that move, and through the months that followed trying to get his estate finalized while living 500 miles away. You were there in the nervousness of my wedding, and of being a new bride. You were there through the stresses of every long day of every tax season, and then when I went out on my own as a bookkeeper. You have been there every evening to help me alleviate stress lately. You have been what I've looked forward to at the end of the day. You have comforted me, you have praised me, you have distracted me, you have brought me pleasure.
 
But you have also brought me pain. You have brought me "weight", literally. My bones hurt, my body aches, my feet are killing me, my back feels like it's in knots. My heart races these days with the slightest hill or stair case. You have made me depressed which caused me to ponder that death might be better than life when I feel I can't overcome your power. You are holding me back from my passions of the outdoors. I can hardly hike up hills these days without feeling like I'm going to die. My heel pain is just getting worse with every pound you add to my body. I don't feel sexy anymore... You are tearing apart my life and I'm only 32.
 
I thank you for having been there for me, but I think in order to have the best life I can, I'm going to have to part with you, or atleast part of you. God has brought other things into my life to take over the work you were doing all alone. I have a husband who can comfort me and celebrate me. I have friends who can help me to not be lonely and a bible study group to strengthen me when I'm feeling bad. I have a bike, a kayak, hiking boots and a backpack that will keep me entertained. I have a fantastic gym membership and a mini home gym that can keep me distracted from work when need be. I have kitties who can sooth me on lonely days when I need "love" (okay, my husband can do that too if he's not working late)
 
I will be okay with out large quantities of you. Our relationship is changing, and while I'll still partake of you, I need the best you, you have to give.... things that will make me strong and healthy instead of weak and lazy. The sugary things that I let sooth me have to go...perhaps one day I'll be able to enjoy a bite or two, but since you've turned me into a sugar addict, that day will be far away when I'm at goal and am finally in control.
 
Here's to change!
 
 
Tomorrow, I will start a low carb, 2 protein shakes a day (I have plenty of sample packets to choose from), and one protein + complex carb + either 1/2 a sweet potato or 1/2 cup cooked quinoa meal a day, food plan. I will get out of this sugar fog, and back into "the light". And I'll flush out the funk with lots of water and green tea. I'm ready to start my new life even though I am 32 days before surgery and am only required to do a 7 day low carb pre-op diet. I'm just ready! With my hike before Hawaii, and lots of hiking/walking planned in Hawaii (and fresh pineapple!!) I can stay on track until my surgery.
 
Wish me luck fellow pre op and post op sleevers! I appreciate you and your stories and questions more than you know!!
 
 
Edit: No need to suggest counseling...I've already been doing it for 5 months and will probably continue after surgery. I wish I could say it's helping with the mental stuff...but I don't see it.

On May 17th I will hit the 5 month mark on my weightloss journey. I've officially lost 63 lbs since surgery, made it into Onderland (at last), experienced the dreaded stall, had my pants fall off because they were simply too big (I call it the Pants on the Ground Phenomena), cursed my scale which I swear was broken for a month, had my rings fall off my hand, gotten tons of great compliments, rediscovered mirrors, stopped hiding behind people in pictures, flown on Southwest planes where people actually chose the seat next to me even though there were many others open, been ushered out of the plus sizes section at a department store by a well meaning sales lady who thought I was lost, started wearing high heels again, eaten too much too fast and puked, gotten very drunk off of very little alcohol, learned how much I love solid proteins, started exercising again, and have started reaching out to old friends as part of my reconnection plan - which was part of my New Years resolution. My life is 100% happier. I cannot imagine NOT having this surgery. I look forward to what lies ahead, and I although I expect that I will be cursing my scale again at some point, I have faith that the remaining 73 lbs will be worked off in time. In many ways, I've restarted my life at age 40!