ChaoticBliss

Oh and hooker name would be Panther Shanendoah... Hmmm rawr.

I am not sure what happened on my other post... But, here are my before and afters almost exactly one year to the day.

OK ladies...so the FIRST step is what you are doing RIGHT here! You are not in denial any more (and let's face it, we were all there pre-surgery). You are owning up to the fact that you are not perfect...none of us are! But you are also facing the hard fact that you are going down a rabbit hole and came here to find some inspiration.
I am 3 years + post op and I have gained back as much as 7 lbs (am now back at goal) but like you, FREAKED out! When I was 223 lbs, the thought of weighing 160 something was thrilling....now, if I get in the 140's I feel completely out of control. SO, this is a good thing for us!
If you have recognized that you are self-medicating with food, then of course you need to address all those issues, comfort, boredom, depression. Everyone is different so you need to find the right answer for you: support groups, therapy, reading books or blogs from others, forcing yourself to meet other people socially (meetup.com is my all time favorite....this is where you FIND YOUR PEOPLE!!!). Once you start living a more full life you will be more motivated to get and keep the weight off.
And I will say the 5 Day Pouch Test does help you get back on track. Hey, try it for 2 or 3 days if you don't think you can do 5. Or do the 5:2. I have said it before, I will say it again. Even normal weight people (and we are one of them now) gain weight and pull it together before it's too late.....YOU CAN DO THIS!!!!! It's summer....get out and move!

I am not sure what happened on my other post... But, here are my before and afters almost exactly one year to the day.

I am not sure what happened on my other post... But, here are my before and afters almost exactly one year to the day.

I get you. I actually want my surgeon to be confident of his skills, not "HIS" skills.

How sweet. Everyone getting along. The chickens....the ministers...the atheists....and even Laura-ven...whatever disinfranchised group she belongs to....the inappropriate meme's group.

LOL. I've spent the whole weekend suffocating under some serious southern baptists.
Ugh.
Funny story....completely related to my weight loss. While W Bush was president my preacher FIL mentioned in every sermon that being a good Christian meant being a good patriot and supporting your president. EVERY. SINGLE. SERMON. After Obama got elected, he never mentioned it again.
Nice how the requirements change.

please forgive me
i've been keeping a secret from all you wonderful people
i had a FACE LIFT
June 25th (5.5 weeks ago!!)
i was soooo scared
i thought long and hard
back and forth before making this hard decision
if someone has a bad/looking? experience with a TT that is awful
but no needs to see the appearance of the tummy
if your face gets screwed up - you are stuck
(doctor told me a i would look like he PUNCHED) me in the face (a bunch of times )
would have had to buy a zillion paper bags !!!!
i've always had a "turkey" neck
wanted this surgery for a long time
didn't want to splurge with money
i thought i wasn't worthy
please don't yell - that's how i felt
having lost over 100 lbs, i decided the heck with it!!!!
"i'm worth it"
my PCP suggested a plastic surgeon
i met with him - he seemed good, very nice too
i then saw 2 others plastic surgeons
they seemed fine too (just as good)
since my doc recommended the first surgeon
i decided to go with him
i have a "pretty" good new looking body since my weight loss
i wanted to go all the way and fix my face too
the neck was the MAIN thing i wanted to get fixed
at 61 year YOUNG, i have some wrinkles too
few wrinkles gone would be a plus
told me i would look like he PUNCHED) me in the face (a bunch of times )
lots of black and blue marks
teeny one under my eye
most coloration was on the sides of my face
and behind my neck
not as bad as i expected
improving day by day, feeling a little better
didn't go out for about 3.5 weeks
didn't want to scare little kids at the grocery store
the first two days PO were very painful
i always have problems/with side effects from anesthesia
i act a little delusional after recovery room (upset, not knowing where i was)
yelling, bunch of stuff
hubby said i was talking weird
and i was talking sooo much (what else is new? )
doc said after 3 months of "settling"/face
he could do a "tweek" here or there if we decided
no extra charge of course
he does a little touch up sometimes
in his office with local anesthisa
don't know if i'll need it
at times i'll use my silly comment
"i'm cute as a button"
now guess what
I'm CUTER than a button
I never regretted having the sleeve (no problems ever )
now.........
i will never regret having the face lift
CONGRATS to ME
kathy

Not everyone has the inclination or time to upload photos and videos. I, myself, enjoy inspiring others to go for their goals. But I haven't shared any progress pics since I reached my goal. There's no visible changes to see. I am happy to share the photos I do have.
Starting weight 375lbs
Goal weight of 203 lbs

Well I am so happy about the changes in me. Even though I have had a ruff time losing the weight I am finally losing it quickly. I once weight 350 lbs and was not happy with myself. Went to a GYN doctor and he told me that I was diabetic. I was able to lose 100 labs. I have struggled with this for a long time going down to 180 lbs and then gaining it back. Now I was 265 when I had my sleeve, with in six month I went down to 204 lbs. Then I gain 16 lbs. This has been a long journey but I am happy I have not given up. Even having a lot of negatives around me I have managed to come out on top. I am Happy to say my goal weight for my body size and shape is 150. I am now 188 lbs.

Twenty months out 100 lbs lots at last- today is going to be a good day
Normal bmi as an added bonus!!! Hope to still drop a bit more 4-5 then I will have to figure out the maintenance thing????

I am not sure what happened on my other post... But, here are my before and afters almost exactly one year to the day.

Amazing! Congratulations on the incredible journey. You look like you are on top of the world!

It's been a long time since I visited this site, but I've hit a spot in my life where I'm struggling and realizing I need to go back and find some support to help me through it.
I currently live in the Middle East, in a small country called Qatar located on a peninsula next to Saudi Arabia. I am a researcher/instructor at the Texas A&M University campus and have been here since the middle of September. When I arrived here, I was weighing in the low-to-mid 170s every day. After only 3.5 months here, I just this morning crossed the 190 line, something I thought I'd NEVER do again.
food choices here are good, but my ability to make proper choices is hampered somewhat. I do not have access to the Protein Shakes that I love and learned to rely on, I do not have access to good nutritional information about foods I find here, and I do not have access to the low calorie selections that were the staple of my life before moving here (low-cal bread, sugar free Jello, Progresso Light Soups, etc.)
I'm trying so hard to get back on the bandwagon, realizing that I really only have a short window of time to get control before things get totally out of hand. So here I am, back again, planning on hanging out here again in order to pick up tips, keep the focus on good health, and interact with the community that understands.
Bea from Doha, Qatar
(Surgery date: July 30, 2013)

@@lunarose
can't help you with your questions
but..............
happpppppy, happppppy surgiversary
4.4 years and still around to talk successfully about it
you are aces
keep up the great job
good luck
kathy

I am totally in the same situation! I have felt like I really failed at this because after the year mark I stopped losing. I lost 80 lbs but have now gained back almost five lbs in the past month or so. I'm 17 months out now. I also feel hungry a lot. The carbs have snuck back in too. We had some financial changes so I'm not able to grocery shop like I did at first. Buying the meats and veggies that I "should" be eating is getting too expensive so I've had to fill in with cheaper meals to get everyone fed. I realize I'm Gonna have to work around that too My niece has bought me a few cases of Protein Shakes so I'm going to try just drinking those and eating one meal. I'm only in a size 18-16(on some) so I feel like I've wasted the money for the surgery if I can't get losing again to get closer to my goal. I need to lose between 50-65 more I have been guilty of not tracking my food again. Going to get back at that too. Anyway I haven't been on here in a while either cuz I felt like I had given up. Gonna change that too.

Hi there,
It's such a thin line between losing, maintenance, and gaining. All vets (and at one year that's what you are) struggle at some point.
If you're not logging your food and weighing yourself daily, that's my number one trick for managing my weight post-op. After a couple of days of that, I can see where to cut back to lose or stop gaining.
Making myself cut back is hard. I help myself out by getting rid of foods that aren't in my plan, especially my favorite junk foods. Give them away or throw them away. Replace them low cal treats you can enjoy guilt free. For me, that includes fat free greek yogurt with splenda and fruit, no-cal drinks such as LIption's Diet Green Tea with Citrus, and raw veggies with dip made with greek yogurt. I also measure my food to get back on track. Both to make sure I'm getting enough Protein and to control carb creep (1 oz. of crackers creeps up to 2, then 3 ounces if I don't).
And I give myself no calorie treats for success, like a new lipstick, lotion, book, puzzle, or even a pay per view movie. It's just a little splurge, but it picks me up.
Also, I eat less if I track my fluids and make sure I'm getting 64 oz. per day.
At this point, to stave off hunger, it pretty much has to be Protein. Nothing else hits the spot the same way. Are you getting enough protein? I aim for 2-4 ounces per meal. Another thing that can masquerade as hunger is stomach acid. You might try taking prilosec and see if it makes a difference.
Bottom line, most everyone is working it to continue losing or to stay at goal after one year. Hang out here and commiserate with the rest of your people :-)
Lynda

You have done such a fantastic job! Only 14 pounds from your goal. At 5'6", I would think that 152 is looking really good. The weight loss does slow down and stop at some point. I even gained 22 pounds in my late second year. It took me quite a while to get it back off. I am now in maintenance, and can mostly stay in my 3 pound goal bounce range, I am about 2 pounds over that right now, my mom was sick for a while and passed on two weeks ago, and staying in focus to keep the weight off has been more than a chore at this time. I used the 5:2 method to get the 22 of. I use it to keep it off as well. I also chose a goal that was possible to keep off. Not a tiny fantasy weight... but I look good, and feel good. I keep up my new lifestyle, with exercise I like around 4 days a week, and weigh in, log my food everyday if I expect to stay on track. You are in a new non honeymoon phase. This does not mean you are a failure. You are in the pre-maintinance phase, getting ready to keep up a manageable routine the rest of your life. Do keep track of what you eat. Eat more veggies if you are hungry, drink your Water, find healthy Snacks to have around the house. Eat your Protein first. I am at 3 1/2 years out and only 2 pounds above goal range, and it took me over 2 1/2 years to get to goal in the first place! Back on the wagon girl!

I reached my surgeon's goal last month and hope to reach my new personal goal by Valentine's Day. That's only four pounds away so I am almost ready for maintenance. But I don't feel the same let-down that you report. To me the big challenge for 2015 will be learning how to eat and exercise for long term health. In the past, I lost as much weight as I did in 2014 only to gain it all back. I'm a great dieter but when I get tired of dieting, things go haywire.
I'm now focusing on ending 2015 at my goal weight. I'm hoping that by January 2016, I'll have trained myself to eat and exercise like a thin person. No more backsliding.

There are lots of things you can shoot for.
At year 4, I find I have to look at the scale every day, and write everythind down to see the same number day after day. Now the goal is to see the same number.... believe me, its just as much work as losing!

So, it's been 1 year and 5 months since surgery and I still feel it's a wonderful thing I decided to do for myself..
Cons: the surgery does not fix mental issues and they are a big part of the journey. At this point (17 months out) you understand that you can still over eat and throw it all away. I am still addicted to sweets and must battle that daily. Not always successful.
Pros: the surgery and the extreme measures of having it spurred me to make life changes. Putting myself first and making my health a priority. I gave myself permission to pay for a personal trainer for 12 months. I made regular doctors appt. for all my preventative issues. Exercise is now second nature and I miss it when I don't go. I know what to do when I get off track (holiday eating....sweets) . I know to track my food, Water and exercise.
My weight has fluctuated by 8 pounds between 97 pounds and 89 pounds lost right now I am at 92 pounds down.
I smile more, don't mind having my picture taken and plan our family vacations around being active.

I was sleeve on July 24, 2013. Started at 387 and i'm down exactly 200 pounds. No regrets everything positive. Feeling great. I love life again.

Started at 299 now 159 ..5'8