JanetPRN

Extreme Makeover . Results like yours are what gives us all inspiration!

151 this week

I hope it's not too late to join. Current weight is 152 , goal is 147. ( humble goal but it would be my personal lowest since my wedding 33 yrs ago. The lbs move off so slowly these days!

I went out for a sleeve of ice cubes for our Labor Day party today. I paid the man and asked him for help putting it into my car as it was too heavy. The ice sleeve was 6 bags of ice each weighing 7lbs, so it was 42 lbs total. He was too busy to help so I had to do it myself I was very irked about this , and I put the ice into my car. It seemed so heavy to me! I was mentally cussing him out as I got into my drivers seat, then it dawned on me . I realized that this time last year , I was 84 lbs heavier , TWO of those ice sleeves. No one helped me carry that extra weight around. The visual of carrying 12 of those ice bags around seemed surreal to me, I blew my own mind! Happy Labor Day everyone !

Just noticed my typo error in the thread title, oops. There doesn't appear to be any way I can edit it!

In the beginning, I could only eat tiny amounts. I learned quickly to maximize my nutrition during my meals. I learned that carbs filled my up too much and left me feeling empty. Proteins kept me feeling nourished and comfortably full. This is all still true for me. When someone says they have to do the work now, my personal thought is the "work" is about the choices we make. Do we choose to exercise or do we choose to eat Fritos or ice cream on the couch? At 12 months out I have lost 84 lbs and have passed my goal and I , for one , am never going back. If you prepare yourself to accept , and not challenge, your sleeve, you should do fine.

Did not meet my goal- ending weight is 152.

I'm coming up on my 1 year "sleever-versary" in September. I'm channeling Joey from "Friends" and want to know "How you doin' ?" What an interesting trip this has been for me. I have re shaped my body as well as my outlook. I make it a point to step outside my comfort zone as much as possible. This has enabled me to enjoy so many new experiences. My stats are : lost 84 lbs, & sized down from 2xl (22) to a medium ( 8) since Sept 24, 2013. My life and health have changed for the better and I can honestly say I do not have one single regret about having this surgery. I didn't realize exactly how much my obesity truly was holding me back. I fit in a movie theater seats, carnival rides and airplanes so much easier now. While I will never be a beauty , photos are not nearly as painful anymore. I live my life on the 80/20 rule . I follow a low carb / low fat / high Protein diet 80% of the time. The other 20% of the time I everything else in moderation. Yes, I will have a dessert and a cocktail from time to time, but it's a small amount. I am fortunate that a little bit is more than enough for me. I still have tight restriction, and yet never feel deprived. My losses have slowed down dramatically, only 2lbs this month. It may be due to my broken foot, but I haven't been much of an exerciser this past year, either. That's my next project. I am looking forward to new challenges and hope that you will share some of your experiences also.

I tried the Bariatric Advantage vitamins and they gagged me also. I kept at them by crushing them and stirring them into applesauce. That's wasn't so bad , but took extra time to prep. At month 3 I switched up to an adult gummy vitamin ( I doubled up on it ) . I am almost a year out , and have had 3 blood tests done and each has been perfect. Walgreens and GNC have decent selections. I buy what's on sale now.

Terrific news!

153 , up one lb again. This broken foot is cramping my style!

I have had many diverticulitis and IBS attacks in my years. Not bad bad enough to need a colon resection but bad enough to be hospitalized on occasion . I was sleeved 11 months ago and I have had a couple of mild IBS episodes and zero Diverticulitis attacks.. You may be surprised after your sleeve . It stands to reason that less food in the tummy/ colon may translate into less irritation and therefore less flair ups . I had my sleeve for weight loss , the improvement has been a pleasant surprise for me. This is just my experience.

Stories like this are what make this forum terrific inspiration for newbies and vets. Great job, looking good!

"Now I look like Fat Bastard after he lost weight, if you remember that scene (I have a vagina on my neck! LOL" This cracked me up! You reference" Austin Powers", In "The Men in Black", Agent J states that the bug is inside Edgar Looking all lopsided and awkward, he says " It's like he was wearing some kinda suit, an Edgar suit." I look in the mirror these days , I definitely feel like I am wearing a "Janet Suit". It's good to keep a sense of humor about these things. I'll take saggy and healthy over over fluffy and exhausted any day.

152 again.

I was the "fluffy" friend in my group. I will tell you that this surgery puts you on a crazy roller coaster ride. The first time I moved to the regular size clothes side of the department store, I was pretty freaked out, I will admit. I felt like I was trespassing. If you follow your program instructions you will succeed and learn something new about yourself ( and others, at times) each day.

I second the Quest bar suggestion .It works for me also

The great thing with the sleeve (for me , at least) is I can have my favorite foods on occasion. I follow my plan closely , but allow room for the occasional treat. Nothing is forbidden in my diet. I am 11 months p/op and still have excellent restriction. I am under my docs goal and my personal goal. Pizza is delicious and I join in when my family has it, albeit may only a small slice and some of the toppings. I don't feel deprived or feel like a failure. Failure would be making bad choices, all day , every day. Enjoy your sleeved life!

Wonderful "after" pic. So Cute!

152 today.

I went to a wedding 4 weeks post op. I had a great time, You probably wont be hungry so make smart choices. I also had a ready-to-drink shake in my car to ensure that my protein needs were met. I pushed the food around the plate and no one was any the wiser. Enjoy!

Finally some movement - 153 lbs.

I think I love cooking even more now. I love to entertain and make my meals "pretty" and delicious. There's something liberating in cooking not not constantly licking the spoon , lol!

Went on a 7 day cruise and still 155. No losses in 3 weeks , on the other hand no gain either ????

I celebrated my 10th month surgiversary 7/24 while I was on a cruise to the Bahamas. I was nervous about the "all you can eat" aspect of my cruise, and it was a non-issue for me! I have always hated buffets because of the temptation to over over-eat or shame . It turns out that I loved the buffet because I could literally take a bite of something and then be done with it. I enjoyed many different tasty meats, salads and the occasional treats. No weight loss or gain. I used the gym to my full advantage and thoroughly enjoyed my trip.