MzGee

Progress pics as promised! Down 80 lbs

7 months down 90.5 pds

Really no secret, just your basic, healthy meal plan.....
For the first 6 weeks I followed my surgeon's meal plan and transitioned slowly through the food stages (very good restriction did not allow for "skipping ahead"). As hard as it was, I met Protein and Water goals 90% of the time. Once I was on regular food I focused on Protein and non starchy veggies. Steak, burger, ham, ribs, pork, chicken, BBQ, tuna, refried Beans, eggs, milk, Protein Bars, PB2, Greek yogurt, avocados, cheese, cottage cheese, mixed nuts, beef and turkey Jerky, broccoli, spinach, kale, green and yellow Beans, mushrooms, red peppers, edamame, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, Chinese mixed veggies, you name it....
Now at just over 7 months out I have a 24-32oz protein smoothie with 30-40g protein everyday and eat 4-5 meals and Snacks. I get a MINIMUM of 64oz Water daily and I take whole food based Vitamins. I have had sweets, deserts, chips, fries, alcohol, bread, Pasta and rice, but in moderation and probably not even once/week. As I got close to and passed goal, I started adding more fruit and whole grains. Besides Protein Bars (Natures Valley Protein, GNC Lean Bars, Fiber One Protein) I added whole grain bars like Kind, Kashi pumpkin Flax, and Pure Ancient Grains. I snack on mixed nuts, pumpkin seeds, edamame, Peanut Butter and apples, frozen pineapple, melons, and plain Fage or Chobani Greek yogurt flavored with Protein powder. I add berries and other fruit as well as Metamucil and benefiber to my protein smoothie. But really, the simple answer is I eat a healthy, balanced diet of protein (always first priority) veggies, fruit and whole grains. I eat when I'm hungry and only until satisfied, not full. Besides protein and water, I never tracked anything. I have no idea how many calories or carbs or fat I eat.
As for exercise, I've got no magic formula there, either. I haven't been to a gym in years. Immediately postop I walked a lot but that was pretty much to help with digestion and to decrease the bloated feeling I had. I rode my recumbent bike 20-30 minutes/day for awhile but I haven't been on it in a couple weeks. I actually just have a very active lifestyle. I work 60+ hours/ week. I am a vet tech, so I'm standing, squatting, bending, lifting and walking all day. On the weekends I ride my horse, sometimes 15-20 miles/day (which is an excellent Pilates and thigh master workout if you are riding "correctly"). And along with the horses comes chores...shoveling shit, fixing fences, hauling water, feeding and stacking hay. Last weekend I got 42 bales of hay. Each bale weighs 80 pounds and I had to lift and move each one 3 times (big stack to truck; truck to shed; stack in shed). So essentially I lifted 10,000 pounds in 2 days....and at least part of that over my head (Basically lifted weights and did stair master for a couple hours). I got another 21 bales yesterday and the day before went whitewater rafting and rowed a boatload of friends 8 miles (more Pilates and push-ups).
Anyways, everyone's journey is going to be different. What works for me might not work for you. Just figure out what you are most comfortable with (establishing a workout routine and tracking everything is not a bad thing, it's just not what I did). And if you are still reading this, let me say my biggest advice is don't compare your weight loss to others. Concentrate on being healthy, don't torture yourself with guilt, keep a good attitude, and look for NSV's for validation, not the numbers on the scale.

So I posted before and after pics back in March when I was down 50 pounds. But now that I'm actually below goal, I'm submitting this as my "official" before and after pics. 8 months and 92 pounds later....
December 4, 2013
August 3, 2014

Hi everyone its getting real tomorrow at 630 is the day. The 11th. Really getting excited and nervous now. So I will post again in the morning before time. Best of luck to all that is getting sleeve tomorrow the 11th and this week.

I got sleeved Monday (August 4th). I have to admit the first few hours I was in excruciating pain. I'm talking "lawd help me, I can't take no mo" pain. I was positive that my doctor did something wrong. Well come to find out, I'm a baby. A big big baby. So that night I put on my big boy pants and did a lot of walking. By Tuesday morning, when I checked out, I was mostly pain free but still very nauseous. Everyday I've been feeling better and better. I was scheduled to be on vacation for 2 more weeks, but by Friday morning I felt good enough to go back to work. At my job I can work either inside behind a desk or outside doing a lot of walking. I felt I could've worked outside, but I'm going to take it easy for awhile.

Not quite an after pic as I still have 40 lbs to go but hey, I've lost 80!!

I keep trying to reply I hope this one works!
Congrats to a fellow Scentsy Sister, you look amazing!!!! I too had surgery last year(Nov 20) down from 211-139! The difference between convention last year and this year was huge for me! This year I could walk and walk and walk all over STL! Last year the walking was painful!
Here are a few convention pics of me

Yes the pee diet lol!

I'm on day 2 of my2 week diet, and I am STARVING I'm drinking all Water and Jello but the Protein Shakes I don't know what's the problem I am suppose to be drinking 5 / 27 G Protein a day and I've only been able to drink one the first day and I'm working on my second for today I don't see how ppl do it.m

Day 5 post op - today I am really tired, after traveling yesterday. But I am working to get my fluids in & get in some activity!
I don't have much pain & my gas pains are very minimal. My phone has been going off like crazy, with a few family/friends checking on me! Which is nice. Everyone has been very encouraging!
Those is of who have surgery coming up...the best advice I can give is BE POSITIVE. Know your surgery will be a success & this IS the solution for your life in the long term!
Keep a positive attitude & you will do great! Know the anxiety will subside & so will pre-op diets & gas pains!

Just a little TMI self-report on Day Two of the two-week preop diet (first week is two shakes and a Lean Cuisine).
1. Nothing awful, but it's a headache day (and I NEVER have headaches).
2. Honestly, I feel a little flu-ish, too.
3. One other thing -- they should call this "the pee diet." I must've peed 3 gallons already today. (It's my liver using up glycogen and shedding Water. So that's good.)
Over and out.

Hi all I am August 7th really nervous now. Best of luck too you all

I'm home from the hospital and feeling pretty good!

One of my surgeon's nurses said "you don't need this surgery" when I went to my last visit before surgery. I didn't look like I weighed 227, I wore a size 18. Now that I'm 192, I'm in a 14. Received a bill from GEHA last week and it was for my last visit with my PCP, called them as I had paid my co-pay and they said "we only pay the first visit with your PCP". Well the bill was for my last visit and they had paid all the others. I just called the doctor's office and advised them to put it against the $4923 I paid them. I don't think many of the bills have come through yet, I really think I'll get some of that $4,923 back. Good luck, I know you'll do awesome. You really won't be hungry at all, it is amazing. My nutritionist told me last week, that the closer I get to my goal, the harder it will be to get the weight off.

I don't think I have had any weaknesses really. I haven't been perfect but I have made all good choices since surgery. I had my three month follow up today and I asked the doc when I will start to feel hungry again and she said after around 6 months... This I think is when the challenge starts! I am 5'4" and started at 270 lbs.. 250 at surgery date.... Just hit 199 OnEderland!! Went from 24 tight to 16 perfect! Hoping to hit my next goal of 100 lbs by my sons wedding in October!!!

I started this process with my first visit with my surgeon 6/24/14. Got my surgery date today, it's 3/14/14. My insurance required 6 months. I waited till 2014 to meet my deductibles. So now I'm covered at 100% with both of my insurances.
I found out from my sleep study I had sleep apnea. That pushed it back a little. I had to get fitted for a cpap. So my process will be 9 months. I could of had it next week, but I planned a mini vaykay with my kids to enjoy my last weekend of carefree eating.

I lost 10 pounds preop. But all in tiny increments. I did not take it seriously until a month prior. I didn't gain which was a miracle in itself. I am very happy to have used the time productively by working on my compulsive binge behaviour.

Before 283 now 152
11 months post op today

I already new I was approved and have a date scheduled... But I received my approval letter from my Insurance today! It's soo awesome I cannot wait. Day 3 of pre op diet here I come! It's getting a bit easier

I'm on day 5 of my two week pre-op diet. This diet is not as bad as I thought. I try to stay out of my kitchen add much as possible. There's too many temptation laying around. My teenage daughter asked me to make her dinner tonight and I flat out refused. Little momma had to make her own food or starve tonight. The choice was hers. My hat goes off to the people that cook dinner during their week diet. I don't know how you do it.
By the way, my baby girl made dinner for herself and her sister.

Starting my 2 week pre-op diet tomorrow, so last weekend I held my food funerals. The weird thing was, I would be sooo looking forward to eating a particular favorite and then just a few bites into it, it just didn't taste that great anymore. Maybe I'm already changing?

Congratulations on your surgery date! That's my date too! Yes, we'll forever be changed! Although I haven't gone on extreme "mourning" food funeral times, I have indulged a bit more this past week because of the same reasoning. Also, my nurse had told me in the beginning to lose the weight, but not too much because insurance may have not approved it. I totally understand what you're going thru MzGee! I'm getting nervous about next Monday, so this week I will try to deal with my food funeral, one day at a time. Then I will try to leave one bite to tell it good bye and flush it down the sink with the garbage disposal running and I'll salute it! LOL I'm ready for this change! I'm 47 and my pain mgmt doc said I could be in a wheel chair in 5 to 10 years due to arthritis... I'm READY FOR THIS! We've GOT THIS!

Hard to believe these pictures were taken one year apart! My boyfriend had gastric bypass on August 1, 2013 and I was sleeved on January 15, 2014. Combined we have lost over 220lbs!
My boyfriend (6'0) -
SW: 340
CW: 198
Me (5'3) -
SW: 230
CW: 150

I had to write a $4,923 check to my surgeon before they would schedule me. Surgery 6/16, was 216.5 now 192.