ElyQuint

Interesting post! I definitely feel like my surgery and weight loss has kind of overcome my identity in the past 1-2 years as it is the focus of a lot of my thoughts a lot of the day. There is kind of a "now what" feeling once you get a little further out from surgery. Now who am I? Now what is the new "normal"? Now how do I keep the "new me"? I also had that thought as we hired a new person at work a couple of weeks ago. I don't know what made me think of it but I realized she will never have known I was obese before, just by looking at me. That is so weird to me because I feel like everyone just "knows" that the real me is fat. I still kind of feel like I'm faking "thin"...... There's a lot to be said of identity issues through this journey for sure.

Today is my last day at the job I had when I had my surgery. When I started there I weighed 288. As I leave I am 195. I've never hidden my surgery. This was a personal decision which is oft debated on this site. As I approach my new job on Monday, I am contemplative of the new relationships I will be building. My new colleagues will not have any awareness of me as the "fat girl". I know I still have a ways to go but the mental fat girl has mostly fallen away. These new folks will see me eat healthy, exercise and lose weight fairly gradually. They won't even require an explanation. I wonder if I will feel compelled to tell them. I am happy with my decision to tell folks about my surgery and I won't debate the choice as its been done here already. But I wonder how long the former fat chick will be my chosen identity? Anyone have any thoughts?

I work with a girl that is a size 2-4. She is always on a diet and watches what she eats. BUT she has body image issues just like us. She also has cellulite and hates her saddle bags. Is she beautiful? Yes she is, inside and out, just like all of us.

I started my new job and they don't suspect me at all. They think I'm just a regular old sized person. I've infiltrated the normal sized people club!
I also cut my hair off!

Today is my last day at the job I had when I had my surgery. When I started there I weighed 288. As I leave I am 195. I've never hidden my surgery. This was a personal decision which is oft debated on this site. As I approach my new job on Monday, I am contemplative of the new relationships I will be building. My new colleagues will not have any awareness of me as the "fat girl". I know I still have a ways to go but the mental fat girl has mostly fallen away. These new folks will see me eat healthy, exercise and lose weight fairly gradually. They won't even require an explanation. I wonder if I will feel compelled to tell them. I am happy with my decision to tell folks about my surgery and I won't debate the choice as its been done here already. But I wonder how long the former fat chick will be my chosen identity? Anyone have any thoughts?

They are on to me.

I started my new job and they don't suspect me at all. They think I'm just a regular old sized person. I've infiltrated the normal sized people club!
I also cut my hair off!

Climbed on the scales this morning and hit 202. That's down 185 pounds since I started my weight loss journey. I am amazed that I have this much weight. My bariatric nurse emailed me yesterday and wanted me to be on a panel for future bariatric patients to ask me questions about my success. I am so happy and feel so great. I wish everyone on the board to success in their journeys.
Mark, Edmond Ok

I started using Protein Shake powder when cooking. I couldn't stand the texture of most shakes so I started making muffins out of shake powders, hemp seeds, almond flour ect.

eggs for Breakfast, greek yogurt or cheese & lunchmeat for Snacks, tuna for lunch and Protein for dinner. It is possible but you have to count carefully.

Excited to report I found a lovely teal blue, maxi with 3/4th sleeves at Kiyonna. Best part?????? I ordered a 2X but it was too big! So I ordered the 1X and it fits near perfect (actually almost big). I was soooooo excited! It needs to be hemmed. I love it though! I will post pic from wedding which is next Saturday.
Next question: what color nail polish with teal blue (almost royal blue)?

Hey my fellow July sleevers!!
It's been awhile since I've posted here, but things are going well. Sleeved July 15, 2013 at 370 lbs. (down from 379, highest weight), and this morning I weighed in at 287 lbs. for a total of 92 lbs. lost in 10 months. I still have 127 more to go for my goal of 160, but I know that I'll get there. So many things have changed: I'm doing more, I'm putting me first, and I am excited to shop for new clothes for the first time in my life! My best NSV of this year was custom ordering a wedding dress that got here and still turned out to be too big because I had shrunk :-)
Hope everyone is doing well!

Hi, I was sleeved on the 24th of July 2013. My starting weight was 387 before surgery, 341 on the day of surgery, today 9 months later I weight 210 pounds. So I'm down 131 pounds since surgery. I feel great and all is well hope the same for the rest of you.
Mark, Edmond Oklahoma

Nice post ElyQuint. Congratulations on your weight loss of 93 lbs. I hope to be as half a success. I am from New York too. I'm looking forward to reading more of your post. Keep up the good work.

You go do this and don't look back! You GOT this!!!!!

I've seen so many of these posts and could have been the author a year ago. The pre-op experience has little to do with the post op reality. It is not indicative of your likely success or failure. Statistically speaking, when it comes to weight loss, we are used to failing. We all think we are the worst offender and the weakest link. You are about to commit to an incredible journey of self love and kindness. I encourage you to concentrate on what your mind is saying about you and how that has impacted the decisions you have made on your own behalf. Then embrace your decision and refuse to listen to any part of your inner dialogue that undermines you. You will find that the negative voices get louder when your stomach starts growling. Its panic. It has been a successful method of self sabotage and its time to show that bastard in your brain that tantrums are not going to be rewarded with french fries any longer!

I've seen so many of these posts and could have been the author a year ago. The pre-op experience has little to do with the post op reality. It is not indicative of your likely success or failure. Statistically speaking, when it comes to weight loss, we are used to failing. We all think we are the worst offender and the weakest link. You are about to commit to an incredible journey of self love and kindness. I encourage you to concentrate on what your mind is saying about you and how that has impacted the decisions you have made on your own behalf. Then embrace your decision and refuse to listen to any part of your inner dialogue that undermines you. You will find that the negative voices get louder when your stomach starts growling. Its panic. It has been a successful method of self sabotage and its time to show that bastard in your brain that tantrums are not going to be rewarded with french fries any longer!

I've seen so many of these posts and could have been the author a year ago. The pre-op experience has little to do with the post op reality. It is not indicative of your likely success or failure. Statistically speaking, when it comes to weight loss, we are used to failing. We all think we are the worst offender and the weakest link. You are about to commit to an incredible journey of self love and kindness. I encourage you to concentrate on what your mind is saying about you and how that has impacted the decisions you have made on your own behalf. Then embrace your decision and refuse to listen to any part of your inner dialogue that undermines you. You will find that the negative voices get louder when your stomach starts growling. Its panic. It has been a successful method of self sabotage and its time to show that bastard in your brain that tantrums are not going to be rewarded with french fries any longer!

I've seen so many of these posts and could have been the author a year ago. The pre-op experience has little to do with the post op reality. It is not indicative of your likely success or failure. Statistically speaking, when it comes to weight loss, we are used to failing. We all think we are the worst offender and the weakest link. You are about to commit to an incredible journey of self love and kindness. I encourage you to concentrate on what your mind is saying about you and how that has impacted the decisions you have made on your own behalf. Then embrace your decision and refuse to listen to any part of your inner dialogue that undermines you. You will find that the negative voices get louder when your stomach starts growling. Its panic. It has been a successful method of self sabotage and its time to show that bastard in your brain that tantrums are not going to be rewarded with french fries any longer!

Thanks all. Its so interesting that the roles we play are heavily influenced by who we used to be. I was a teen parent until thirty when I realized, uh, not anymore! Then I was a single parent and now I'm the mother of an adult child. All of those people are a part of me. Just like the fat chick.

Its like there is a fashion conspiracy to put larger ladies in low wasted, scoop necked, horizontally striped, inexplicably low waisted, sleeveless hot air balloons.

Its like there is a fashion conspiracy to put larger ladies in low wasted, scoop necked, horizontally striped, inexplicably low waisted, sleeveless hot air balloons.

I was searching for Constipation information since it has been a week since surgery with no joy. Found this thread and I just want to say thanks it worked. Feel much better now. However my wife does not understand how all this works. She has a sore rear end and still cannot go poop.
I do not get it either but thanks.

Dang it I almost woke my baby laughing at this response!!
To OP: yes, if you feel up to it, go for it. Personally I've had some hormonal changes that have led to an extended cycle and less "interest" all around. For what it's worth I'd definitely prefer anal than oral right now.

Yes it will. The only safe sex post sleeve is in the ear. But that's only until you're completely healed up, start experiencing less restriction, and can tolerate all normal foods.